Michael Leo Stepovich

1929 - 2018

Michael Leo Stepovich
November 17, 1929 - November 15, 2018
Resident of Campbell
Michael Leo Stepovich passed away Thursday morning at his home in Campbell, California. Michael and his wife, Arline, raised a family in Saratoga, CA, and is survived by his sons Michael John and Matt Stepovich, and his daughter Lynn Carter and her husband, John. His son, Dean, passed away in 1993. Michael also has four grandchildren that he took great pride in: Jack, Christopher, David and Annie Carter.
Michael, or Mike to his friends or Miso to his family, practiced as an orthodontist at his Moorpark Avenue office in San Jose for just over fifty years, treating thousands of South Bay residents and touching the lives of many young people and their families. He was born in Fairbanks, Alaska on November 17, 1929 to parents Mike and Vuka Stepovich. His father was a successful gold-miner in Fairbanks who had immigrated from Risan, Montenegro some years before. After three siblings followed Mike (Alex, Nada, and Ellen) the family moved to a farm off of Sobey Road in Saratoga after the start of World War II.
Mike's father passed away when he was thirteen. As the oldest child in an immigrant family without a father, he had the challenge of helping his mother, Vuka, with the responsibilities at home and with the other children. He attended Campbell High School and San Jose State University, serving in the army in the Korean War 1952-1953 before graduating with his degree in Biological Sciences in 1956. He went on to attend Marquette University for his DDS and St. Louis University for his MS in orthodonture. While at San Jose State he made many lifetime friendships through the Delta Upsilon fraternity.
Given the hand he and his siblings were dealt with the death of their father early in their lives, there was great pride in the fact that all of the children finished their undergraduate degrees at San Jose State, and that he and his brother, Alex, went on to become successful dentists in the San Jose area. This was in no small part due to the wonderful guidance of Michael's mother, Vuka, who was a strong and loving presence in their and others lives.
Mike and Arline divorced in 1993. Mike married Gabriella Nickut in 2007 and was happily married until her death in 2017.
One of the things that Mike loved best was downhill skiing. Many family vacations centered around this, mostly at Squaw Valley where he had a cabin for many years. He was lucky enough to ski up until his mid-80's, and had a chance to see his grandchildren become expert skiers alongside him.
A funeral service will be held for Mike at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, November 21st at St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church at 18870 Allendale Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070.


View the online memorial for Michael Leo Stepovich