Steven J. Gagliano
September 20, 1967 - July 29, 2022
        

Steven J Gagliano, age 54 of Mukwonago, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, July 29th, 2022 after a brave fight with head and neck cancer.  He was surrounded by his beloved wife, Lisa Zink, and other family and friends.  He was a proud bonus dad to Jacob and Erin DeJarlais, Tyler and Kaleigh DeJarlais, and Jeremy Roemer. He was a loving Papi to Emily, William, and Austin.  Steve is survived by his father, Joseph Gagliano, and sister Julie (Chris) Mantei. He is preceded in death by his mother Joyce, sister Linda, and grandson Mason DeJarlais.

Steve was born September 20, 1967 in Milwaukee.  Steve had many hobbies which included collecting bourbon, coins, Lego, and guns.  He enjoyed vacationing at his cabin, “The Bearfeet Retreat” at the Camp Delton Club, and gambling at the Flamingo in Las Vegas.  He was an avid grillmaster with a collection of many smokers and lived out his dream of owning a red Corvette.  Steve adored his little Pomeranian princess, Tessa Leigh, and the late Daisy Mae.

Steve had many careers throughout the years, including owning his own small business repairing oxygen concentrators and operating a courier service.  Steve had many coworkers turn into cherished friends over the years, working for a variety of pharmacies and home care companies across Southeastern Wisconsin.  In fact, it was a shared pharmacy community that brought Lisa and Steve together. Steve took great pride in his marriage to Lisa and in his whole family.  He was inspirational to all of his kids and they respected and loved him greatly.  Steve was a family man and always did everything in his power to take care of his loved ones.

Lisa and Steve got married at the Mitchell Park Domes on March 12, 2011 in a beautiful ceremony filled with family, friends, and a lot of love and laughter, followed by a heck of a party at Miller Park to celebrate.  Steve absolutely cherished Lisa and would do anything for her and her family. Lisa and Steve loved to go on adventures and spend time with their kids and grandkids. They shared so many interests and just enjoyed spending time together.  They would call each other on the phone every morning on the way to and from work, and she will miss those conversations dearly.  They were not just spouses and partners to each other, but best friends. Their strong foundation set an amazing example for their kids about what a marriage should be.  It is unfair that cancer took “the one” from Lisa way too soon, but the years they spent together were filled with more than a lifetime of sorrows, triumphs, happiness, memories, and love. 

Steve was a stubborn fighter and needed many reminders to let go in his last days. His family's motto was “in this family, no one fights alone.”  Steve did most of the fighting up until the last few months (mostly because he wouldn’t relinquish control) but he was truly never alone.  

One of Steve's favorite quotes that hung in the living room was from Stuart Scott: “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live.”  Steve’s legacy was how he lived, why he lived, and the manner in which he lived. Steve’s legacy will last on, in the memories he created, and the in lives he touched. 

There will be a visitation held in honor of Steve at the Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home (930 Main St., Mukwonago) on Wednesday, August 3rd from 4-7pm, followed by a celebration of life at 7pm. 

The family would like to thank the ProHealth Oncology and Hospice Teams for leading Steve in his fight and sister-in-law Lori Engel for assisting in end of life nursing care.  In lieu of flowers, Steve requests donations in his name to the Wisconsin Humane Society.