Houghton Lake Resorter

Stephen Arthur Bakita




 

 

Stephen Arthur Bakita, 81, Gaylord, died May 16, 2019, at his home.

A Celebration of Life will take place at The Emerald Golf Course, St. Johns, June 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. He was a brain donor to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, Boston University, Boston, MA. Cremation has taken place and a family graveside service will be held. Interment will be at Ford Cemetery, Elsie.

Born April 13, 1938, in Elsie, he was the son of Steven and Mildred (Loznak) Bakita. He graduated from Elsie High School in 1956 and Central Michigan University in 1960, with a bachelor’s degree. He continued his education with a Master’s in School Administration, also from CMU, and did further graduate work at Michigan State University.

On Sept. 12, 1959, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Bates. They began their education careers in Stanton. While teaching at Pewamo-Westphalia Public School, he became their first head football coach starting the Pirates gridiron program in 1961. He then turned to administration and was principal at Sheridan Road School in Lansing before becoming an educational consultant for Shiawassee and Clinton counties. In 1966, he became assistant superintendent for St. Johns Public School and retired as superintendent in 1997, ending a 37-year career in education. The highlight of his career was overseeing the multi-million dollar bond issue for building and modernizing the St. Johns school system before he retired.

After retiring, the couple moved to their cottage at Higgins Lake and he worked part-time for several years as a school consultant for Clark Construction. In his retirement, he continued to enjoy golf, skiing, biking, boating, traveling and attending his grandchildren’s activities; eventually spending winter months in Florida.

He was an avid sports fan, as both a participant and spectator, being a passionate fan of the Chippewas and Spartans. He particularly enjoyed golf (both playing and instructing) and was the recipient of five holes-in-one, all at different courses.

Most of all, he cherished time spent with family, always involved in his children’s, grandchildren’s, and most recently great-grandchildren’s extra-curricular activities, as well as their academics. He took great pride in their accomplishments, always encouraging them to work hard and do their best. He was extremely proud of all of them.

He was a member of St. Johns J.C.’s., St. Johns Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Clinton County where he served as chairman, St. Johns Rotary Club where he served as president and Clinton County Country Club and he was a life member of Michigan Education Association and Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators. He was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and other civic projects.

Preceding him in death were his parents; sister, Mary Ann; brother-in-law, Gerald Passmore; and brother, Thomas Bakita.

Surviving are his wife, Dorothy; son, Todd (Lisa) Bakita of Bellbrook, OH; daughter, Dawn (Dr. Robert) Mee of Gaylord; grandchildren: Ryan (Kristin) Bakita of Westerville, OH, Allyson (Matthew) Geis of Kettering, OH, Erica (Troy) Hart of Hudsonville, Erin (Jacob) Mallekoote of Golden, CO and Alex Mee of Hudsonville; five great-grandchildren, Noah and Hannah Geis, Melanie and Madelyn Hart and Connor Bakita; brother, Richard (Sue) Bakita of Rockford; sister, Jeanne (James) Butler of St. Johns; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be directed toward St. Johns Public Schools Foundation for Excellence, Att: Steve Bakita Vocational Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 96, St. Johns, MI, 48879 or Hospice of Michigan, Donation Processing Center, 145 N. State Ave., Alpena, MI 49707-2835.

Gaylord Community Funeral Home, Gaylord, is handling the arrangements.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.