Michael Gerard Stegmann died in Seattle on July 11, 2026, following a head injury, surrounded by his family and close friends. He was 65.

Mike grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, and graduated from Saguaro High School in 1979. He moved to Seattle in 1987 and made the city his home for the rest of his life.

For decades, Mike worked as a waiter in some of Seattle's best-loved restaurants, including The Surrogate Hostess, Café Septieme (in both Belltown and Capitol Hill), St. Cloud's, and Redwing Cafe. He was loved by generations of regulars — and by their children, who grew up watching him work the room with warmth and wit.

In the early 1990s, Mike became a central figure in Seattle's Queer political scene as an active member of Queer Nation Seattle, where he built lifelong friendships. His outgoing personality and singular gift for connecting with people made him a familiar face across Capitol Hill and Belltown throughout the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, and later in Columbia City and Seattle’s South End — anyone who walked those neighborhoods with him knew to expect frequent stops so Mike could greet a friend, or several.

Mike founded Stop the Torture, a graphic design company that produced countless posters for some of the most seminal grunge-era concerts at the Crocodile Cafe. He also brought his flair for performance to local public access television, improvising and cross-dressing his way through many episodes of KOOK-TV.

A baritone with a deep love of music, Mike sang and produced two CDs of Americana covers, along with three full-length studio albums for Jimmy Peters, the Binkies, and Russ Records, often with personnel from Tom Bennett and the Rolling Blackouts.

Over the years, Mike opened his home and his heart to a long line of beloved dogs — Cody, Ralph, Mr. Handsome, and Tiger among them — who were frequent companions on his walks around town.

Mike will be remembered as a fearless Queer activist, a devoted dog-lover, an enthusiastic pot smoker, a graphic designer, a singer and music producer, and above all, a friend to many.

He is survived by his mother, Gandolpha Stegmann, and sisters Julie and Laura.