By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Ewald Bauknecht spent his life trying to make the lives of his family and friends happier. He enjoyed taking loved ones out to dinner - reveling in their company over good food and wine.

"He loved people and he loved to party," said his wife of 29 years, Gail Bauknecht of Colerain Township.

And Mr. Bauknecht, a diabetic, never complained about needing kidney and pancreas transplants, bypass surgery and suffering from a hemorrhage that left him a paraplegic. For Mr. Bauknecht these were more reasons to enjoy the time he had.

Mr. Bauknecht died Wednesday at Christ Hospital from complications of diabetes. The longtime Colerain Township resident was 54.

"He never went on about himself. He wanted everyone else to feel good," his wife said.

Born in southern Germany, Mr. Bauknecht and his family moved to Cincinnati's west side when he was 5.

He graduated from Elder High School in 1967 and was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Germany before being honorably discharged in 1971.

Mr. Bauknecht settled in Colerain Township. He married Gail Williams in October 1973.

He earned an associate's degree in business from Southern Ohio College, then worked in sales for Prudential and New York Life Insurance companies. He later was a car salesman - a job he held even as his health began to deteriorate.

Mr. Bauknecht was diagnosed with diabetes in 1974 and was eventually placed on dialysis. He slowly began losing his vision, and then, in 1998, he had both a kidney and pancreas transplant.

He attended the Hines Blind Center in Chicago in 2001, and a year later returned to study computers.

A week after arriving at the school, he recognized a pain in his back - a result of a hemorrhage, which left him paralyzed from the waist down. Mr. Bauknecht remained in Chicago for four months, then returned to Cincinnati, where he resumed work as a car salesman.

Although he was forced to use a wheelchair, he never lost hope, family members said. And he spent his time educating others about the importance of organ donation.

"As a survivor, Ewald saw the importance of using all the necessary means to reach his goal - surviving, " said his niece, Stacy Reed of Mason.

Proud of his German heritage, Mr. Bauknecht was a member of the Verein der Donauschwaben.

Besides his wife, Gail, survivors include two sons, Mark and Jim, both of Colerain Township; and a sister, Irene Waldowski of Colerain Township.

Services have been held. Burial was in Arlington Cemetery, Mount Healthy.

Memorials can be made in the form of blood or organ donations in Mr. Bauknecht's name, or to the First United Church of Christ, 5808 Glenview Ave., 45224.

Email: nhamilton@enquirer.com