Steven Douglas Eddy Jr.

Steven or Steve as most knew him, was born on July 13, 1970, in Ventura California to Mariana Zuniga Avila-Eddy and Steven Douglas Eddy Sr. Steve attended Ventura area schools and graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree. A life-long learner, Steve also attended Ventura Community College in California, Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico and the Violin Making School of America in Utah. Steve was a consummate artist with talents including painting, ceramics, knitting, crocheting and in the later years of his life, violin wood carving. Steve was a violinist in multiple orchestras and chamber music ensembles in Ventura, Santa Clarita, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Santa Fe and Salt Lake City.

Professionally, Steve was a very successful Dealer of Fine Stringed Instruments under DBAs including Cursing Cat Music, Steve Eddy Violins and Catalina Island Violins. He enjoyed playing other instruments including Guitar, Viola and the Ukulele. He was well acquainted with instrument makers, sellers and auction houses in the USA, China and Europe. Steve was also a teacher and founded musical education programs in Ventura and Santa Paula California and instructed students in the Ventura County Juvenile Justice system at the Colston School. Steve twice lived in Korea teaching business English to working professionals.

Always up for new experiences, Steve enjoyed a high school exchange year in Paris and spent a year at Pepperdine’s London program. Those experiences supported the decision to, along with his partner Jim, to be a host family for exchange students from Sweeden, Germany, Japan, Canada and Norway.

Steve met his life partner Jim Luttjohann in 1993 while working at The Daily Grind in Ventura. Together they lived in Ventura Ca, Santa Paula Ca, Santa Fe NM and Avalon Ca. Steve was an amazing cook and a foodie and after moving to Catalina Island, he became a food tour guide until his illness interrupted his ability to do so. Nightly dinners were prepared with menus from Korea, the American Southwest, Mexico, Japan, France and Italy. Travel was his passion with many trips taken around Europe, Asia, North, Central and South America. Steve had a knack for languages with fluency in English, Spanish, French and Korean and he knew all the bad words in many other languages. Steve’s chosen family encompassed people from around the world. Steve was also a pet lover, having been a human dad to multitudes of fish, birds, cats and dogs. After Steve began suffering from heart failure due to the impacts of Amyloidosis, Steve and Jim were given a second chance in life when Steve received a heart transplant on October 30, 2017. They especially enjoyed pausing for sunsets, with each end of a day representing another day of survival

Steve is survived by his partner of 33 years, Jim Luttjohann. His mother Mariana (Mary) DeKeyzer, Stepfather John DeKeyzer, sister Suzanne Eddy, nieces and nephews Tyler Harber, Isaiah, Peyton and Dylan Gomez and Kingston Eddy plus numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his father Steven Douglas Eddy Sr. Steve leaves behind his beloved pets Flynn, Abigail, Dindi and Enzo. His followers on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook will miss him too, because his frequent evening walks around Avalon were engaging to thousands. He also leaves the wish that everyone who loved him becomes an organ donor.

A private graveside service will be held on March 20, 2026, at Oak Hill Memorial Park in Escondido CA where many of his ancestors are also buried. Celebrations of life will follow on later dates in Avalon and Ventura.

Graveside flowers may be arranged by contacting [elcaminoflorist.com]elcaminoflorist.com or consider honoring his memory by donating to the Steven D. Eddy Memorial Scholarship Fund at the https://vccf.org/eddy-fund/.