Stephen William Gurasich Jr.

March 26, 1948 - April 22, 2021

One of the Good Guys….

When a good man passes on, he leaves behind him a wake of friends and family who

were blessed by his life and lifted by all the goodness he brought to it.

Stephen William Gurasich, 73, of Austin, Texas was a very good man. He went to

his Lord Thursday, April 22 after a brief illness. His family was by his side.

Steve was born in Long Beach, California in the spring of 1948, one of a set of triplets. He and his brothers, Bill and John, attended Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston. Steve went on to attend Texas A&M for a while, but graduated from the University of Texas in 1971. He was an avid Longhorn from that moment forward.

He met Nancy, the love of his life, during high school in Houston in 1966. Despite their brief time apart while they attended different universities, their love was too strong to ignore and they married on June 6, 1970. They enjoyed more than 50 years of marriage together. They proudly raised their two children Amy, a Veterinarian and business owner, and John, an entrepreneur and business owner like his dad. John and Amy are combinations of all the good things Nancy and Steve brought to life and they were his pride and joy. Steve was nicknamed Tebo by his siblings and the tradition has continued with his grandchildren Emily (14) and Sage (12). He was an adoring grandfather and was so excited to see them grow. He always encouraged them to chase their dreams. Tebo had a plan for everyone.

In 1967 Steve joined the Army National Guard. During this time, he met many lifelong friends that helped shape his character. He was proud to serve his country, but also happy to never jump out of a plane again!

It was at UT where Steve's world and the world of advertising would collide. It was there he met his future business partners Roy Spence, Judy Trabulsi, Tim McClure, and Jim Darilek. They along with his brother Bill would start what would become known as GSD&M. These precocious and very unique individuals decided they all wanted to stay in Austin after they graduated and make some kind of difference. And what a difference they made together, founding GSD&M which is one of the most successful and creative advertising agencies in the world. Together they did award-winning, groundbreaking work for state, national and International clients. GSD&M has deep roots in the community and greatly influenced the establishment of Austin as a major creative hub. The agency celebrates its 50th anniversary this next fall and Steve will be there in spirit. Roy, Judy, and Tim always looked at him as the captain of the GSD&M partnership where he was affectionately known as “Big Daddy”. He never sought the spotlight, but he was always up to any challenge the agency faced. No matter the mountain they were trying to climb, Steve was the calm voice of reason, always grounded in honesty, integrity and goodness. He preached and lived by the agency’s core values. His partners will tell you they could never have done it without him. He would tell you he was just a guy doing a job. Those at the agency would say he was one of the really good guys and he will be missed terribly.

Steve was an avid hunter, fisherman and outdoorsman. A proud member of “The Los Magnificos Diez”. There was no place he would have rather been than on his ranch with his beloved dog Gus, cultivating the deer population or bull-dozing a road. It was this love of the land, family and community, and the no BS style of a country boy that defined this wonderful human being. He was indiscriminate with who he shared his ranch with. He cherished friendship and loyalty, and always surrounded himself with a posse. He was also a fierce competitor whether it was in business, a card table, or a late night round of washers.

Steve Gurasich was a builder. Whether it was family or agency or some of the many real estate projects he developed, he made a difference. He had an incredible vision for land and was always looking for opportunities to unlock it’s potential. With the help of partners, in particular Don Walden, they were able to realize grand visions and create successful communities. He was very proud of their many projects, including Lake Point, Falconhead, and Mission Oaks.

He is survived by his wife Nancy; his daughter Amy, and her husband Aaron; his son John and his wife Molly, and their children Emily and Sage. He also leaves his sister Joan; fellow triplet brothers Bill and John, and their families; his sister Andrea and her family; sister in law Julie Ferris and her family; and mother in law Lillian Hamlin. Steve will be greeted in Heaven by his parents and his brother Paul.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Weed Corley Fish and a Memorial service for Steve will be held at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Austin on April 26, 2021 at 2:00 pm. For those unable to attend a Livestream is available at www.mtoliveaustin.org/SteveG

Please join the family at a reception for Steve held at GSD&M immediately following the service. Parking available in the GSD&M parking garage on Henderson Street. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to one of Steve's favorite charities below.

The Christi Center https://christicenter.org/donate/

San Juan Diego Catholic High School https://sjdchs.org/give

Mt. Olive Lutheran Church https://mtoliveaustin.org/