“There’s an overlap between being the son of Holocaust survivors, and being gay and living through the AIDS crisis… like my parents, most of my friends are just memories,” the late Michael Bauer once wrote on the website Unsilence. “There’s a conclusion I’ve drawn: This is what happens to people when they lack political power.”

After the 1978 assassination of gay Jewish San Francisco city official Harvey Milk, Bauer wrote: “I remember thinking, ‘They’re killing people like me.'”

Bauer’s response, ultimately, was to work on campaigns that helped many more LGBTQ people reach public office: Ald. Tom Tunney, Chicago’s first openly gay alderman; Cook County judge Tom Chiola, the first openly gay person ever elected to Illinois political office; and Judge Sebastian Patti, the first openly gay person elected countywide in Cook County. Just before his passing, Bauer chaired the campaign of Lori Lightfoot, Chicago’s first openly gay mayor.

Over the years, Bauer worked on more political campaigns, including those of Vice President Al Gore, Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, State Controller Dan Hynes, and State Rep. Kelly Cassidy.

Bauer passed away on Aug 29 at 66 of melanoma. At his side was his husband, Roger Simon. They met in 1982 in Chicago, but married in 2003 in Canada.

“He was a mensch,” recalled Simon. “He was always willing to help, and never expecting anything in return.” Simon added that they always attended Rosh Hashanah services, and he would use Bauer’s tallit bag this year. Bauer also created a Shabbat tradition, Simon said, of texting his mother Tema- now 103- beautiful photos every Friday evening when reminding her to light candles.

Bauer served on the national board of directors of Lambda Legal Defense and Education, the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, and the Global AIDS Alliance. He also served on the boards of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, IMPACT, and the Hearts Foundation. He was also honored by progressive organizations from the ADL to the ACLU.

Bauer was an active member of both JUF’s JCRC and Government Affairs Committee and a frequent mission participant to Washington D.C. and Springfield.

He also championed Israel. “Both Israel and America are stronger and safer due to Michael’s advocacy,” said Lee Rosenberg, president of American Israel Education Foundation, AIPAC’s affiliated Foundation. “He was respected throughout the Congressional delegation, due to his knowledge, authenticity, and passion.”

“The Holocaust… goes to the core of who I am. My colleagues and I helped to put together a first-of-its-kind academic symposium on the Nazis’ homosexual victims,” Bauer wrote. “I’m now the co-chair of the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide Commission. This work is very personal to me.” He also chaired the first gay and lesbian mission to the United States Holocaust Museum.

Born in East Rogers Park, Bauer graduated Senn High School at 16. He earned his undergraduate, law, and MBA degrees at Northwestern. Before entering politics, Bauer practiced law for 10 years, served as executive at Bell & Howell for another decade, and then owned a court-reporting agency.

Unsilence’s founder, Dr. Danny M. Cohen, a professor and activist, recorded Bauer’s story. “What makes Michael’s story so important is how he integrated the lost memories of his family within his own identity,” he said at Bauer’s funeral. “Michael Bauer, the gay son of Jewish Holocaust survivors… was able to turn his family’s devastation into his passion for civil and human rights.”

Bauer is survived by his husband Roger Simon, mother Tema (late Morris) Bauer, and brother Dr. Jerry (Adrienne) Bauer. He was the brother-in-law of Bert (Kathleen) Simon, and uncle of Michelle (Stuart) Primack, Dr. Hillary Bauer (Jeff) Cohen, Aaron (Lauren) Bauer, Julia (Mauricio) Fallas, Laura (Ben) Weinstein, and Jaclyn (Michael) Fisherman. He was also a great uncle and cousin to many.

A funeral service was held at Anshe Emet Synagogue, followed by interment at Shalom Memorial Park. Arrangements were made by The Goldman Funeral Group. Memorials to the Michael Bauer Fund- set up to support Holocaust education, LGBT issues and cancer research-can be made to the Jewish Federation.