Richland Washington
Wednesday, October 18th, 2006
Steven O. Stecker, 63, of West Richland, died Oct. 15 at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland.
Steven Oliver Stecker
Steven Oliver Stecker passed on, on October 15, 2006, at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland, Washington. He was born October 6, 1943 in Spokane, Washington and spent his early years in Colville, Washington and Spirit Lake, Idaho, moving with his family to Connell at age 5.
Steve grew up in Connell, graduating from Connell High School in 1961. The family relocated to Walla Walla in 1962, where he worked for Birdseye Frozen Foods.
Always the ham, he delighted in making everyone, but especially his mother, laugh.
He attended Columbia Basin College, where he flourished in the drama department. During many of his years in the Tri-Cities, he was active in the Richland Players, both acting in and directing productions.
He married Phyllis Wilson and they had a son, Dustin. After several years of divorced life, he met and married Connie Dawson. They had daughter Linda, named for his deceased sister. Steve and Connie have been married 33 years.
Steve worked at Grigg's Department Store for a number of years, becoming manager of the Richland store. Following his Grigg's career, he became a part of the Hanford scene, working as a buyer for Rockwell and J. A. Jones. After eight years there, he moved his family to Colorado where he worked for eleven years for J. A. Jones at the Rocky Flats facility. A member of the Purchasing Manager's Association (PMA), he returned to the Tri-Cities area, settling in West Richland, working again at Hanford for Fluor International.
Steve enjoyed skiing and, in later years, specialized in 'old iron,' collecting tractors, old farm trucks and equipment. His daughter Linda introduced him to horsemanship and he enjoyed riding his palomino quarter horse, Dusty.
He always had a story (or two) to tell or a joke to share. He was humorous and he was a very generous person to those around him.
Steve was preceded in death by his mother and father, George and Audrey Stecker, and sister Linda, and by his favorite uncle and tractor mechanic, Bud Stecker, by eleven days. He is survived by his wife, Connie (Dawson); son Dustin; daughter Linda; four brothers and sisters-in-law: George (Kathi), of Yakima; Sidney (Karla) of Tumwater; Kelly (Anna) of Stanwood and Leonard (Lynn) of Ephrata; Connie's father, R. B. Dawson of Pasco; and her sisters and brothers and spouses, Willene (Jim) of Olympia; Robert (April) of Hermiston; John (Jennifer) of Pullman; Lonna (Doug) of Spring Hill, Kansas; Donna (Charlie) of Anacortes; Sue (Karl) of Kennewick; and 25 nieces and nephews, and 28 great-nieces and great-nephews.
Hillcrest/Bruce Lee Memorial Center, in Pasco is in charge of arrangements, where a public viewing will be held from 4:00 p.m to 7:00 p.m, Thursday, October 19, 2006. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 20, 2006, at the Church of Christ, 3926 West Kennewick Avenue, Kennewick. Burial will be Friday, at 2:00 p.m., at Mountain View Cemetery in Connell.
Steve is a loving family man. Dustin, Linda and Connie made him complete. We love you and will miss you.
