Michael Arthur Bakula Sr. Obituary (1951 - 2019)

Born Feb 04, 1951, Michael Arthur Bakula Sr. attended Mclane High School in Fresno, CA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Michael Arthur Bakula Sr..

Graduation Year	Class of 1969
Date of Birth	Feb 04, 1951
Date of Passing	Mar 27, 2019
About	Dear Mike, You left us too soon. As your wife of 39 years I wish to thank you for your love, kindness, generosity, sense of humor and concern as I have battled health problems. You are and always will be the love of my life and my best friend. No one worked harder than you for your family. Stephanie, Joey, Michael James and I appreciate all you did for us so we could live a good and safe life. The tears are flowing as I compose this but I know you have been reunited with our son, Michael James in Heaven. The pain you endured, as we both did, with his passing left us both in a state of numbness for the last 3 years. We were each others rock. That is who we were and always will be, Mike and Liisa forever. I love you. Mike was born in Los Angeles, CA on February 4, 1951 to Frank and Lola Bakula. Mike is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Robert and beloved son, Michael James. He is survived by his wife Liisa Bakula, children Joe Bakula and wife Vanessa, Stephanie Bakula-Ribeiro and husband Brian, 6 cats (all rescues) and 1 rescued dog and a countless number of friends. Mike was out of town when he passed (alone, privately, quick, no pain, the way he and his family would want), with his friends Bill and Tony Dotson. Thank you Bill for handling things for me. That could not have been easy as I know. How close you two were. You and Tony did me a tremendous service. I can't imagine how difficult it was for you to make that phone call to me, and Stephanie. You are our angel. Tony, Mike loved talking, laughing, and strategizing with you. Thank you for going through that difficult time. Mike worked for the Kelleher Corporation for over 40 years. The Kelleher Corp. employees and all of his customers, he considered his friends. Mike always left them laughing. Mike was so proud of his children Joey and Stephanie. Joey for his kindness, strong work ethic, and his hyperactivity and many more good qualities. Stephanie, also for her strong work ethic, kindness, and of course hyperactivity. Mike was especially proud of Stephanie's cat rescue, Save Me Right Meow, which she has spent hundred's of hours and thousand's of dollars, of her own money to rescue sick, homeless cats, get them healthy, and find them a home. Golf was a huge part of his life until some years ago. So many life-long friendships came out of his golf and in his time he was one of the best. Mike was a scratch golfer. Mike was the Fresno City Amateur Golf Champion in 1971 and the Fort Washington Country Club Champion in 1983. His claim to fame came was when he hit his tee shot and it hit a crop duster. Joey and Stephanie will never forget one of his 1000's of memorable accomplishments with golf. One that sticks out, is at the young age at of 19. Who plays golf barefoot? Well, Mike Bakula Sr! He shot 62 playing barefoot at Palm Lakes, back then, the most exclusive group in the Northern California Golf Assn handicap list. Mike also served in the National Guard. The family requests no flowers. Remembrances can be made to Save Me Right Meow at Paypal, sb1662@yahoo.com or E-mail Stephanie at hyecatgirl@gmail.com to mail a check. She can also be reached via phone or text, 559-285-4380. If you prefer to donate to another non-kill shelter of your choice, my Dad would want that as well. Services will be private. Visitation at Whitehurst Funeral Home, 1525 E. Saginaw, Fresno, 93704, Thursday, March 28 from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Published in the Fresno Bee on Mar. 26, 2019 The passing last month of Mike Bakula Sr. evoked memories of perhaps the most famous golf shot in Fresno history. For sure, there have been plenty of holes-in-one, eagles and the like on local courses. But who hits an airplane? Bakula did, on Oct. 11, 1974. The Bee's Bruce Farris caught up with Bakula for a story marking the 25th anniversary of the shot: From the par-4 13th tee at his home Fort Washington Country Club, Bakula hit a towering drive. "I used to hit them high and long," Bakula joked. At the same instant, pilot David Hughes of Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District was spraying over the course. The ball miraculously made it through the propeller, went through the windshield, hit Hughes in the head (he was wearing a helmet), bounced off and broke the windshield on the side. Hughes was able to land at nearby Papagni's ranch. Read more here: https://www.fresnobee.com/sports/golf/article229228864.html#storylink=cpy