Born Aug. 10, 1951, in Muncie, Ind., and raised in Bloomington, Ind., he grew up exploring the outdoors and working various jobs in the community. Steve’s favorite job was at a pizza parlor, which kicked off a lifelong love of the food. He later attended Indiana University.
Steve’s entrepreneurial spirit was obvious at a young age. At 15, he started a “Coke Market” in the woods across the street from his childhood home. He constructed a two-story shop and sold soda pop, candy, and blackberries to local kids and adults.
His drive and work ethic continued in many capacities over the years, including later in life, when he became a self-employed woodcutter. This work led him into a career as a forest fire patrolman for Sierra Pacific Industries. Steve loved being out in the woods every day and continued to cut firewood for his own use after his retirement from SPI, falling trees and chopping wood until the end.
One of the first jobs he had as an adult introduced him to California, as he drove new school buses from Indiana and delivered them to Berkeley. He traveled throughout the west over the years, living and working between Indiana and California. Eventually, Steve settled in the northern California mountains. His adventurous spirit continued with his many mountain climbing, hiking, and biking trips.
While working at Sequoia National Park, he met Renee Olson, a co-worker whom he fell in love with and later married. Over the years they had many adventures, including driving an old Ford pinto (with a top speed of 50-mph) across the country to visit family.
Their shared love of the outdoors continued when Steve got hired in trail maintenance at Lassen Volcanic National Park. From there, they moved to Washington state, where he gave interpretive talks at Coulee Dam Recreational Area.
As a chainsaw collector, Steve amassed one of the best collections in the field. He also rebuilt, restored, and shared his collection with fellow chainsaw enthusiasts and museums throughout the world. It was a labor of love, but he did once jokingly admit that he wished he had a hobby that was smaller.
Steve had a number of other interests as well. He was a history buff, an avid reader, and loved superhero movies and comic books (a love that began as a child and was revived through his grandchildren). He also enjoyed studying geography and topography maps. He loved traveling across the U.S., and recently went abroad on a Scandinavian holiday. He was a fan of John Wayne and Bob Dylan. He loved The Beatles, a passion he passed on to his daughter. He enjoyed working with his hands, either on car engines or construction projects, something he shared with his son, whom he called his “little helper.”
As a husband, father, and grandfather, he worked hard to be sure he always provided for his family. Everywhere he went, he made friends. He was always willing to help people out when he could. Steve was a straight shooter and told it like it is, sharing his opinion and practical advice. He was a loving papaw, passing on “papaw’s stories” and always treating the grandkids to “papaw’s ice cream shop.” As evidenced by his constant stockpile of donuts and other treats, Steve had quite the sweet tooth, something he also passed on to both his kids.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Renee; brothers Jay of Bloomington, Ind., and Michael (Geraldine) of Colorado; son Justin (Patti) of Redding; daughter Sara (Chris) of La Habra; and grandchildren Aiden, Chloe, and Anna.
There will be no public services. Memories, stories, and condolences can be left on the Hoyt-Cole Chapel of the Flowers website, www.chapeloftheflowers.net, under his obituary.
If you would like to honor Steve’s memory, take a hike in the woods or go climb a mountain.
He was a true mountain man and woodsman, through and through.
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