JB
James Bauknecht
March 31, 1951 - March 15, 2008
Obituary
Bauknecht, James Richard MADISON James Richard Bauknecht, age 56, passed away on Saturday, March 15, 2008. He was born on March 31, 1951, in Antigo, the son of Irving and Margaret (Steffek) Bauknecht. Jim married Huyen Vu on Feb. 6, 1977. Jim received his masters and PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jim worked as an English professor from 1978 until he retired in December 2007. During his career, he had the opportunity to teach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northern Essex College in Massachusetts and Madison Area Technical College. He was also awarded a Fullbright Scholarship and taught in Manchester, England for a year. Jim was an accomplished writer, having published many articles and poems that addressed contemporary social issues. He collected over 13,000 college textbooks that were donated to needy universities in Vietnam and Ecuador. He loved history and culture, having had the opportunity to travel extensively through Europe, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Jim was a dynamic photographer and loved nature - often spending hours bicycling on the scenic trails surrounding Madison. He was never one to miss a Packers game or to root for anyone other than the Badgers. But most of all, he loved his family. Jim is survived by his wife, Huyen Vu; three daughters, Dorothy Vu Bauknecht (Fiance Joshua Cotillier), Susan Vu Bauknecht and Sarah Vu Bauknecht (Fiance Marcus Weden); two grandchildren, Ashley, and Gabriel; his mother, Margaret Bauknecht; twin brother, John (Janet); brother, Joseph (Belinda); sister, Jeanne (Gary) Kleist; and nieces and nephews, David, Jennifer, Mimi, Bao Hang, Dang Khoa, Christian, Heidi, Lisa and Peter. He was preceded in death by his father. A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at 3:30 p.m. at the GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive. Visitation will be held on Wednesday at 2 p.m. until the time of service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, a memorial scholarship fund is being established in Jims name through Madison Area Technical College. Please send any donations to the MATC Foundation, c/o The Jim Bauknecht Scholarship Fund, 3550 Anderson St., Madison, WI, 53704. "...Come, my friends, Tis not too late to seek a newer world. Push off, and sitting well in order smite the sounding furrows; for my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die." - Ulysses, Alfred Lord Tennyson
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Daniel Golemb
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“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both…” Mr. Bauknecht was my World Literature teacher at Madison Area Technical College and was one of the best professors I ever had. His class was engaging and taught in a wise and clever way. When I visited during his office hours, he treated me with respect and gentleness. Jim inspired me to continue-on to become a licensed teacher. Like him, I traveled to Asia, and after some accomplishments abroad, I thought it would be a great time to get in touch and share. After searching the school website and not finding him, you can imagine my utter dismay to discover his obituary online. I missed him by forty-four days…forty-four. He was only 56! Attached is the exact photo I had intended to send him. It is the burial site in Ansan, South Korea of the most famous military man in their entire history, Admiral Yi Sun Shin. The photo foreshadowed what I had not yet learned about Mr. Bauknecht, and a sad irony. Today is the last day of 2021, and I still think about O Captain! my Captain!—he really meant a lot to me. We both loved literature, the Green Bay Packers, teaching, and Asia, all of which I am still engaged in to this day. Thank you Jim, there aren’t many like you. To his family, I can say he was only about 1 of 6 people in my life that shone brighter than all the rest, and I'm sorry for your loss. We both took unusual paths in life, and I regret not being able to regale with him our roads not taken. “I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Goodbye Mr. Bauknecht, Your former student, Daniel Golemb