Steven Jay Rodgers

Born April 16th, 1957 in Sioux City, Iowa

Passed October 21st, 2021 in Surprise, Arizona

Born first in a family that included four brothers and one sister, Steve showed us all how to live fully in the moment. Life in a military family came with lots of moving to new places with new friends at each stop along the way. Steve experienced his first hurricane at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida at the age of three. Much of his youth was spent between Iowa, Oregon, and Washington. Steve never married, but that is not to say he ever lacked for love and family.

Steve loved music, nobody who knows him has any doubt about this guiding fact that defined so much of his life. Starting in fifth grade at Hill Crest Elementary School in North Bend, Oregon he joined band class and learned to play his first instrument, the euphonium, a smaller sized tuba. That was the beginning of joy for Steve. He practiced constantly and to a slightly annoying degree, passionately. He was hooked! As he grew and attended other schools so did his passion for other instruments. He became the ‘missing player’ for every piece the band played. He was the French horn, the tuba, the trombone, and even helped out the trumpets at times. It was in high school that Steve discovered the instrument that would become his life’s passion, the electric bass. He played his bass guitars at every venue he could. He inserted himself into many bands over the years playing a wide variety of music. Steve liked to play a game with the radio. He would turn it on to a random station and without prior rehearsal, he would begin playing along with the song that was playing. He was magical that way.

Born of the military, Steve chose to carry the tradition forward and joined the US Army in 1976. Following boot camp in South Carolina and specialty training in electronics and telephone switching systems Steve set off to see the world. A year in Korea, two tours in Germany, and finally a stateside tour at Fort Lewis, Washington. After eight years on the road for Uncle Sam, Steve took his GI Bill and went to college. But college was only the jump start for Steve’s love of knowledge. He continued military service in the Oregon National Guard as an electronics service technician.

Life’s road leads many places and Steve followed the road working as a traveling electrician on large projects across the US. He chased the road for many years before finally returning to Oregon in 2005 and settling down, as if that were possible.

Steve was a man who put all his faith and trust in God and Jesus Christ. He went nowhere without at least one bible in his pocket. He didn’t preach, he simply lived his faith as an unshakeable example to others. He drew his strength from faith and his church family. He loved being the tough, but loving uncle to all kids. He loved performing music wherever there was an audience. Secretly, he loved riding his bicycle all over Portland with his best friend of 46 years, Brett Weigel. Steve would break other appointments just to keep his routine with Brett. That’s just Steve saying how important playtime was to him and a lesson to us all.

Steve left this life following a stroke while helping his parents relocate to their winter home in Arizona. He is survived by his step-dad Ron Lappi [Betty], brothers Mark Rodgers [Kristin], Kerry Rodgers [Doris], Jeff Rodgers, Glenn Rodgers, and sister Laura Harris [Tony]. He is preceded in death by his mother, Barbara Huffman-Lappi. His family includes 14 nephews and nieces and 15 great nephews and nieces. His closest friends include; Brett Weigel [Scarlet] and Chris Webster.

Celebration of Life

Join with Steve’s friends and family to celebrate his life on December 9th, 2021 at 3pm:

The Genesis Project

3132 SE 67th Avenue

Portland, Oregon

Steve was a passionate patriot and military veteran. Please consider donating in Steve’s name to the Bunker Project at www.thebunkerproject.org/sponsors .