Jeffrey Michael & Michelle Lynn Bauer

CRANDON / MADISON - Jeffrey Michael Bauer, age 54, and Michelle Lynn Bauer, age 55, both passed away on Saturday, November 2, 2024, after injuries received in an automobile accident.

Jeffrey Michael Bauer was born on July 20, 1970, in Libertyville, Ill., the son of Mickey and Sue (Cedarleaf) Bauer.

Michelle Lynn (Page) Bauer was born on July 25, 1969, in Eau Claire, Wis., the daughter of Larry Page and Diane (Beck) Page.

Jeff graduated from Libertyville High School in 1988 and received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1992. He worked as a software sales manager for Splunk/Cisco. Michelle graduated from Parker High School in Janesville, Wis. She worked as a healthcare research account manager for Thrivable. Jeff and Michelle were married in 2018 in Madison, Wis., at the top of the Wisconsin State Capitol.

Jeff and Michelle shared a vibrant and fulfilling life, surrounded by friends and family, exploring their beloved Northwoods in Wisconsin by boat, UTV, or snowmobile, and always ready to embark on their next adventure together. Michelle convinced Jeff to join her in completing an Ironman triathlon, just as she had with many others, and he quickly became hooked. She never missed an opportunity to remind everyone that she had completed one more than he had.

Jeff could never sit still. No matter the season, he could be found outdoors, immersed in his latest project-whether he was tinkering with their 1987 Chevy V10 pickup, splitting endless amounts of firewood, flooding a section of the lake to make an ice-skating rink, or lending a hand to neighbors and friends with whatever they needed. He will be fondly remembered for his ability to always get the best deal, his deep love of Costco, and his affinity for plaid.

Michelle made friends wherever she went, whether in her new home of Crandon-where her kids joked, she should run for mayor-or during her travels around the world. She was a fierce advocate in the diabetes community. After her son, Jesse, died unexpectedly from complications related to type 1 diabetes, she harnessed her grief to courageously attack the disease head on. She served on the leadership council of Beyond Type 1, a diabetes advocacy, education, and research organization, and worked closely with Breakthrough T1D (formerly known as JDRF), completing 23 charity bike rides, fundraising over $150,000, and sharing her story with thousands of people through speaking engagements.

In 2016, her alma mater, Parker High School, honored her as a Distinguished Viking. In 2020, she published her book, “Jesse Was Here: More Lasagna, Please: Feeding the Soul of a Grieving Mother,” offering a guide to help parents navigate grief. However, her most significant contribution was her work with countless families around the world who lost loved ones to Type 1 Diabetes through her program, “Jesse Was Here.” This program provides a supportive community to help navigate the complexities of Type 1 Diabetes, encompassing the good, the bad, and the unthinkable. Many of the people Michelle met through this work joined her in the fight to find a cure and became her dear friends.

Jeff and Michelle’s legacy lives on in the vast network of people they met, befriended, and inspired, as well as in the blended family they brought together. Though they are no longer physically with us, their memories will live on through each and every one of us.

Jeff and Michelle are survived by their children, Alexander (Lily) Bauer, Claudia Bauer, Samantha (Logan) Alswager, Joseph Alswager and Sara Alswager; Jeff’s parents, Mickey and Sue Bauer; his siblings, Diane (Mark) Mieszala, Amy (Ken) Sooley and Eric (K.C.) Bauer; and many nieces and nephews; Michelle’s sister, Lori (Mike) Hammet and nephews, Andrew and Mason; and many other relatives and friends. They were preceded in death by Michelle’s son, Jesse Alswager; and her parents, Larry Page and Diane (Dave) Krigsvold.

A celebration of life and visitation will take place at the MONONA TERRACE COMMUNITY AND CONVENTION CENTER, 1 John Nolen Drive, Madison, on Friday, December 13, 2024, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., with the service starting at 2 p.m. A memorial service in Crandon, Wisconsin will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Beyond Type 1 (beyondtype1.org/donate) or to the Jeff & Michelle Bauer Memorial Snowmobile Trail Fund (tinyurl.com/macsyh4d).

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson West
Funeral & Cremation Care
7435 University Ave.
(608) 831-6761