Steven Melvin Tague

June 14, 1945 – April 15, 2026

Steven Melvin Tague of Carlsbad, California, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the age of 80, surrounded by his family. Steve was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, businessman, and Christian whose generous spirit touched everyone who knew him.

Steve was born on June 14, 1945, in Oceanside, California. He spent his first six years at the Warner ranch in Fallbrook, where his mother worked as a housekeeper and where he lived alongside his older sister, Sandy, who was four years his senior. Those early years were filled with happy memories of playing with cousins on the ranch. When Steve was six, he, his mother, and Sandy moved to Carlsbad to live with his grandparents in a house on Madison Street in the downtown area. At the time, Carlsbad had a population of about 5,000—a small-town American community where Steve would put down lifelong roots.

Because Steve’s father was not in the picture and his mother worked long hours to provide for them, Steve often found himself on his own after school. It was a godsend, then, when the Boys Club of America opened a local branch just three blocks from his home. Steve became the 13th member of the club and spent nearly every afternoon there once the school day ended. Like many boys his age, he loved athletics—especially baseball and football. He also spent time at the Carlsbad Gospel Tabernacle, where his mother and stepfather, John Huddleston, worshipped. As Steve grew older, he took on a paper route and discovered a talent and love for selling. At Carlsbad High School, he excelled as a linebacker on the football team, and he went on to play two seasons at MiraCosta Junior College. In his second year he was named the team’s most outstanding player and earned a football scholarship to San Diego State University. An injury near the end of his time at MiraCosta ended his playing career, but SDSU honored his scholarship, and Steve graduated in 1968 with a degree in accounting. He began his career as a government auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency.

In 1969, as the country moved through a season of tremendous social change, Steve’s own life entered a season of joy: he married the girl who had captivated his heart, Crystal Renee Vanderburg. They had known each other from church and from growing up in the same small community, and together they would build a home and a life that lasted 57 years. In 1970, at the invitation of a local insurance agent, Steve entered the insurance industry and opened Tague Insurance Agency as a Farmers Insurance agent. Their first son, Mark, was born in 1972, and their second son, Matthew, arrived just fourteen months later. Steve relished his role as husband and father, and he worked tirelessly to provide for, protect, and support his family for the rest of his life. One of his greatest joys was watching his sons play sports through every stage of their growing up.

In 1983, Steve stepped out on his own and founded an independent insurance agency, eventually earning appointments with most of the major carriers in the country, including Safeco, Mercury, Progressive, Hartford, and Liberty Mutual. He poured his heart and soul into the business, and Tague Insurance Agency has been a staple of North County insurance ever since. In 2004, Steve joined SIAA, the largest master-agency brokerage in the United States, and with the dedication of the Tague Insurance staff, the Tague Alliance grew to oversee more than 100 independent agencies across Southern California. The agency he founded continues to grow and serve the San Diego County area today.

Steve’s faith shaped every part of his life. He and Renee attended and supported local evangelical churches, and their deepest passion was supporting missionaries around the world. Their home was known far and wide for its hospitality—missionaries on furlough were regularly welcomed to stay with them. Steve loved spending time with his family and grandchildren, often taking them on trips so they could experience the world firsthand. He was an enthusiastic traveler himself, visiting places as varied as Prague, Kenya, Vancouver, Cabo San Lucas, Monaco, Italy, South Sudan, Bermuda, Belize, Jamaica, Quebec, and Yellowstone. He was passionate about scuba diving and tennis, and he was an ultra-loyal San Diego State football and basketball fan. Above all earthly loves, he loved Renee, and together they created not only a life but an environment in which their whole family could thrive. Steve worked hard, played hard, and loved with his whole heart.

Steve was preceded in death by his mother, Ann Huddleston; his stepfather, John Huddleston; and his beloved older sister, Sandy Ford. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Renee; his sons Mark and Matthew; his daughter-in-law Kelli; his grandchildren Marli, Thaddeus, Annabelle, Eden, Garland, and Jacobi; and his great-grandson Jameson.

A memorial service celebrating Steve’s life will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at The Mission Church in Carlsbad, California. Family and friends are warmly invited to attend.

Above all, Steve tried to follow his conscience—especially when it came to giving to others in their time of need and offering people a second chance. In doing so, he sought to live out his Savior’s command to “love others as you love yourself.”

He will be greatly missed.