Stephen "Steve" Bukaty was born to Andrew Joseph and Josephine Cecelia (Egnatic) Bukaty in Kansas City, Kansas. His parents were of Polish descent, and his father worked as a dock man for Pacific Intermountain Express Truck until retiring in 1976, after serving in the Marines in World War II. Josephine worked at Providence-St. Margaret Hospital for over 20 years.

Steve Bukaty graduated from Bishop Ward High School in KCK in 1965 before earning his undergraduate degree from Pittsburg State University in 1969 and his juris doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1975.

Bukaty established Steve AJ Bukaty, Chartered in 1998 and practiced labor law in the Johnson County, Kansas area until his retirement in 2019. The company has since become Aubry Huntsman, P.A.

Steve Bukaty married Marie Patricia Hiebl in 1996, the daughter of Rudolph Ferdinand and Bernadine (Tillman) Hiebl.

[Information retrieved from LinkedIn profile and press releases.]