In Loving Memory of Louis Bastiaans.

It is with heartfelt sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Lou Bastiaans. Lou entered eternal rest peacefully on August 24, 2026, surrounded by his family. He leaves behind a lasting legacy defined by joy, a generous spirit, and an infectious, adventurous energy. To know Lou was to know a man with a radiant, larger-than-life smile, who brought warmth, enthusiasm, wisdom, and boundless laughter into every conversation.

Lou is known to be a dedicated and supportive husband, father, and Opa. He was also the anchor of every circle— always reaching out, keeping in touch, and building lifelong friendships.

Throughout his life, Lou embraced adventure while remaining deeply committed to family and friends. If there was a family gathering, Lou was right at the heart of it — by sharing laughter and life lessons from his vast index of stories while flipping burgers, or spreading his joy and talent with a jam session on the drums, guitar or harmonica.

Besides being a rockstar in life, Lou rocked the bass guitar in many bands. It’s easy to say that we all became his number one fan.

The relationships he built over his lifetime were not only bonded over music, but through his passion of fishing, hiking, camping, biking by the beach, motorcycle riding, and cars. He loved attending the Long Beach Grand Prix every year and was also everyone’s favorite judge at the local car shows. Lou’s love of water extended from the river—where you could find him boating beside his friends—to the ocean, where paddle boarding brought him so much happiness alongside the love of his life. He also enjoyed the ride of life spent with his forever girlfriend during their Disney dates. Any place with her was always the happiest place on earth.

Professionally, Lou spent his career in the automotive industry where he was deeply respected and adored by his work family. His knowledge made him the go-to car expert that everyone could rely on. His outstanding customer service earned him consistent five star ratings. There’s no doubt that his hard work ethic made an impact beyond compare.

His open heart, vast generosity, and guiding voice left an indelible mark on everyone around him. Like a stone cast upon water, his kindness created continuous ripples of goodwill that will continue to inspire all who knew him.

At the end of his journey, Lou was surrounded by loved ones and a large group of the UCLA medical staff during his solemn honor walk, prior to respecting his final wish of giving the ultimate gift of life through organ donation.

Lou is survived by his loving family, including his wife Debbie; his children, Jonathan (Amanda), Jamison (Erin), Michael, and Priscilla (Kevin); dad Mike; his grandchildren, who called him Opa: Lola, Nikko, Jane, Finley, Amelia, and Emerson; his sisters, Alwien, Marleen, Denise and Diane (Kirk); his beloved nieces and nephews; all his cherished friends, and fur babies. He was greeted in heaven by his father Willy, mothers Boonya and Kathie, and brother Jeff.

The family extends their deepest and most sincere gratitude to the medical team at UCLA for their dedicated and heroic care for nearly the past two months.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Lou’s honor to: UCLA Health Brain Tumor Program c/o Lou's Neurosurgeon, Dr. Richard G. Everson (Brain Tumor Program), Heart of the Brain (hotb.org) to support brain tumor research, and/or One Legacy (www.onelegacy.org) to support organ donation awareness.

We encourage all of Lou’s loved ones to carry his memory forward by striving to live life each day as he did—with love, laughter, and an unwavering spirit of giving.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE:

Please join us as we gather to honor, remember, and celebrate Lou's extraordinary life and passions.

When: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 5:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Capistrano Volkswagen Mazda
Address: 32922 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Let's come together to share stories, memories, and celebrate a life truly well-lived.