Dax Bakken
Age - 52
December 6, 2023
We want all in the circle - that's you! - to know that Dax Bakken lived 51 joyful, tenacious, giving and grateful, fun, hard-working, full-spirited years and died suddenly on 9/10/23 while biking in a race he was having an incredible time doing. The void created reverberates infinitely. Dax was born 11/2/71 and was raised and lived most of his life in Madison, WI. Cheers to the East side! He joined the army at 17, knowing this was his access to a better life. He promised his mom there would not be a war; soon, he was driving a tank in Desert Storm. Thankfully, he returned to Wisconsin, studied at UW-Madison earning degrees in biology and philosophy (he wondered, med school maybe down the road?), had a blast, and moved briefly with his then-wife, Jodi, to San Diego. There, he shifted (no way med school) and pursued education in computer science. Later, back in Madison, Dax divorced, worked, helped raise with love their 2 incredible boys, eventually met his life partner Kristin, and they began their epic days together. Their daughter arrived shortly thereafter, completing their family. 5. There is a painted wooden 5 on the mantle in the living room. Also of note, starting just before the pandemic, Dax began pursuing, and earned, his Master of Business Administration, again from UW-Madison. He innovatively led his class with humor and smarts. When Dax died, he was working at Whitsell Innovations, Inc. and aspired to someday possibly work as a CEO or even start his own business. Dax was a man who bettered his life every day, related with intention, always brought fun, made meaning, created community, and adored his family and friends. He was wildly smart, did nothing halfway, and was always an inspiringly glass half-full man. Dax as a father - ever-present, available, invested, and just plain fun. The one who made the costumes, watched all the shows, DJ'd the school dance, got up in the night when the kids cried out and let mama sleep in, and planned fun spring break and camping trips. Being a father, how he loved, how he navigated the spectrum of human emotion with his family, and how he co-parented meant everything to him and to his partner. There will never be the right words to convey what a wonderful man, son, brother, friend, father, partner, and beyond that Dax was. His family and friends hope you will help us sustain his legacy forever and always, notably for his three children. Dax was preceded in death by his father Jerry Bakken, step-father Mark Hartlaub, step-brother Travis Kutz, and grandparents. He is survived by his partner Kristin Keir, his three beautiful children Liam Bakken, Finn Bakken, and Maeve Keir-Bakken, his mother Barb Hartlaub, and his step-mother Lynn Bakken. He is also survived by his 6 siblings: Heather (Kevin) Williams, Jerry (Lisa) Bakken, Matt (Erin) Bakken, Sarah Hartlaub, and Julia (Brennan) Hartlaub, and step-sibling Crystal Gray. The visitation will be at Foster Funeral Home (4201 E Towne Blvd, Madison) on Tuesday, September 19th from 5-7 pm, with military honors at 7 pm and a service following. A Celebration of Life will be planned at a later date. None of us feels like eating now, but when that day returns, Kristin is going to need to figure out who the heck is going to do the cooking around here now. Wish her luck!If you wish to honor Dax, please aspire to do one random act of kindness every day for the rest of your life. And don't forget, you get one ride -- "Life's a party, rock your body!"Show more
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