Stephen Myrah

Middleton-Stephen Arant Myrah died of heart disease on February 6. Steve was a true lover of life, and all that it had to offer. Despite health limitations in the past few years, Steve continued to enjoy fishing off bridges in the local trout streams, reading the NY Times daily cover to cover, painting miniature soldiers, watching the many birds from Pheasant Branch who visited his bird feeders and most of all socializing with his many friends. He never forgot an historical fact or favorite line of poetry. Of course he loved the Badgers and Packers and most of all, his wife Dagny, his two daughters and their families.
Steve was born June 10, 1938 in Cedar Rapids Iowa, to Leslie Donald Myrah and Gertrude Arant Myrah. He lived in Iowa, Nebraska and New Jersey before moving to Milwaukee in 1955 where he graduated in 1956 from Milwaukee University School (now USM). Steve received a BS in History Cum Laude, with Honors from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. On December 27, 1960 he married Dagny Quisling. After he received a MS in History in June 1961 from the UW, he and Dagny left to spend two years in the US Army, at New Cumberland Army Depot, Harrisburg, PA. Following his military stint, Steve and Dagny returned to Madison, and Steve worked part-time in the university's financial aid office while enrolled in the doctoral program in higher education administration. The part-time job turned into a full-time position, but Steve completed his doctorate while working his way up to assistant director of student financial services. In 1992 he took over the position of Secretary of the Academic Affairs. For Steve this was a dream job.
Steve was politically active as a founding member of the Madison Academic Staff Association, and served as the first president; served on the Student Personnel Association Board and Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC President 1989 and ASEC Chair, 1991-92.) Steve retired in 2000 after more than 40 years of walking the campus. He received an appointment to emeritus status for 34 years of distinguished service to the UW. In retirement he was active in the UW Retirement Association, served many years on the Porchlight Board and as a member of the Downtown Kiwanis since 2001. He organized several luncheon and breakfast groups of retired friends, who will miss his monthly reminder calls. He and Dagny loved to travel, but also enjoyed picnics in the natural beauty of Wisconsin.
Steve is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dagny, daughter Andrea Davies (John) and their children, Olivia, Max and Phoebe (Evanston, IL) and daughter Leslie Portu (Matthew) and their children Jacqui, Gabby, Conor and Deirdre (Ann Arbor, MI). Steve was preceded in death by his parents and brother, John Barry Myrah.
The family will hold a private burial. On March 15 friends are invited to attend a memorial gathering at the Blackhawk Country Club from 2 to 5 PM. Contributions may be made in Steve's name to the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, P.O. Box 628242, Middleton, WI 53562-8242 or to the Scholarship fund at UW-Madison. Checks should be made out to: UW Foundation, US Bank lockbox #78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278-0807.