Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Obituary: Steven M. Fix - Class of 1965


MADISON - Steven M. Fix, age 69, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. He was born Jan. 11, 1947, in Madison, the son of Phillip and Eileen (Runey) Fix. He graduated from Central High School in 1965 and from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1969 majoring in History with minors in Geography and Secondary Education. He earned a Masters of Science in Cartography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1976.

Steve taught history classes at Tomah High School from 1969 to 1974. While at Tomah, Steve met Mary Fonstad. They were married on April 1, 1972. Steve taught geography at Southern Connecticut State College in New Haven Connecticut from 1976 and 1977 and worked for the Department of Defense in St. Louis, Mo., from 1977 to 1978.

Steve began a 30 year career with the State of Wisconsin in 1979 working on environmental issues with the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Public Service Commission. He continued to be active in the environmental arena after retirement working on a water resource management plan, a lake restoration project, and rain gardens. He was a citizen member of three City of Madison committees: the Board of Public Works, Long Range Transportation Planning Committee, and was Chair of the City's Committee on the Environment.

Steve had lifelong interests in Russian history, maps of all kinds, water resources, traveling back roads, visiting major and minor league baseball parks, birding, hiking in the woods, singing in the symphony and opera choruses and getting to wear great hats in opera productions, being kind to cats and dogs, playing sheepshead and bridge and chocolate desserts (without peanut butter, please).

Steve is survived by his wife of 43 years, Mary; children, Peter Fix and Ann (Fix) Taillon; grandchildren, Kyria and Liam Taillon; mother, Eileen Fix; brother, Stanley Fix; and sister, Linda (Fix) Guerin. He was preceded in death by his father, Phillip Fix.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison. A visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the time of the service on Saturday at the funeral home. The family invites you for dessert and coffee immediately following the service at the funeral home.

Those wishing to express their sympathy with a memorial may wish to consider contributing to Opera for the Young, Madison Community Foundation, Foundation for Madison Public Schools, Madison Urban Ministry or Second Harvest.

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on February 2, 2016. Submitted by Sidney Iwanter (Class of 1967).

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