Steven Markowitz

Steven E. Markowitz passed in his sleep on September 23rd next to the love of his life in Boulder, Colorado. He is survived by his wife Joan Markowitz, sons Michael and Jonah Markowitz, father Israel "Ike" Markowitz, sister Amy Donahue, and brothers Alan and Gary Markowitz. He was proceeded in death by his mother Marilyn. Steven first moved to Boulder in 1955 from Brooklyn, New York when he was 11 years old. The eldest in a military family, he also grew up in Colorado Springs, New Mexico, Arizona, and Japan. He excelled in academics and athletics at the University of Colorado Boulder before he attended The Dental School at Northwestern University. Here, Steven met the love of his life, a family friend named Joan Lifschitz who was studying at Hunter College in New York. Their long distance relationship blossomed into love and eventually a marriage that lasted 48 years. After graduating, Steven joined the Air Force and served in San Antonio, Texas and Fayetteville, North Carolina where his first son, Michael was born. After discharge, Steve moved to Northern California where he trained under his life and work mentor, Joel Kudler and had his second child, Jonah. In 1977 Markowitz returned to Boulder where he started first a dental and eventually an orthodontist practice. Known by all as "Dr. Jaws", he took pride in providing thousands of beautiful smiles to Boulder County. Steven was a philanthropist and donated his time and skills to both dentistry and baseball. Many know him as a fixture for decades at Iris Fields, where he supported, sponsored, coached, and umpired for North Boulder Little League with joy and passion. He mentored and couched countless youth and wanted to make sure Boulder always had a good, level playing field. Upon retirement, Steve continued to work, volunteering to train dentists and hygienists and providing medical services to communities in Mexico, Guatemala, and Vietnam. He also created the orthodontic program at Dental Aid in Boulder, which provides low cost care to those in need. Steven battled cancer bravely and head- on. Given a five percent survival chance for living one year, he defied all odds and lived a hearty, robust and gratitude-filled eight years more. He spent this borrowed time doing charity work and traveling with Joan to see their many friends and their two sons. A memorial service will be held on October 23 at 10:00AM at the Jewish Community Center, located at 6007 Oreg Avenue in Boulder. Please email jonahm@icloud.com for more info or to share any stories or photos you would like included. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to North Boulder Little League or Dental Aid Boulder in his honor.