Steven J. Seykora

1952 - 2025

Yucca Valley, CA - Steven John Seykora, 73, of Owatonna, Minnesota, died unexpectedly Friday, October 31, 2025, in Joshua Tree National Park, California.

He was born January 27, 1952, in Owatonna to Magdalyn (Kvasnicka) and Benjamin Seykora, not far from the family farm near Litomysl. Steve attended St. Isidore Elementary School and graduated from Owatonna High School in 1970 where he excelled at football and track.

For many years, Steve lived in Vail, Colorado, where he worked as a server and bartender in popular hotel restaurants. His jovial personality was evident in the name tag he chose to wear when he worked: "Steve from Dog Balls Falls, Wisconsin." Steve often regaled family and friends with stories of the celebrities he had met and the signatures he had collected. His ready smile and laughter, combined with an innate ability to tell a joke well, endeared him to many. Steve was an avid golfer as well as an expert snow skier who loved the challenge of skiing down mountains nearly 12,000 feet high.

Later, a change of scenery beckoned, so Steve moved to the sandy desert of Yucca Valley, California, which is known to many as the gateway to beautiful Joshua Tree National Park. There, Steve reveled in the solitude it provided. He savored the morning's sunrise, the evening's stargazing, and everything in between. He was content with simply being.

Survivors include: two brothers, Tom (Robyn) Seykora of Lonsdale, Minnesota, and Gary (Leslie) Seykora of Wabasha, Minnesota; three sisters, Judy (Paul) Cigna of Romeoville, Illinois, Suzanne Savolainen of Plymouth, Minnesota, and Cheryl El-Bakary of Carmichael, California; and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Robert and David; and two brothers-in-law, Ray Savolainen and Ahmed El-Bakary.

No memorial service will be held.