Steven is a warm, thoughtful man who has lived a full and outgoing life filled with friendship, work, and family. Born in Topeka, Kansas, on December 7, 1949, to Don and Irene, he grew up alongside his sister Connie. He spent his early years in Kansas and later followed his parents to Flagstaff, Arizona, where his father worked for Chevrolet.
Steven built a successful career in sales management, starting as a pre-owned car sales manager in Topeka before moving into electronics. He worked for Team Electronics and later managed an audio-electronics store in Flagstaff, leading a team of 6. He loved the work — motivating people, building connections, and mentoring others brought him absolute satisfaction.
For many years, Steven was an active member of a rod-and-gun club. While he no longer hunts after serving in Vietnam, he still enjoys target practice and the camaraderie that comes with the sport.
Steven and his wife, Vanessa, raised two daughters, Stephenie and Janina, and he also has a son who gave him a beloved granddaughter. Though he and Vanessa are no longer a couple, they remain close friends. He often says that raising his children was the best thing he’s ever done. With Vanessa traveling often for work, he loved being “Mr. Dad” during the week — walking the kids to school, helping with homework, and simply being there. Family, he says, comes before everything else.
In recent years, a medical issue with his legs has limited his mobility, and he stopped driving about six months ago. It’s been a difficult adjustment for someone who has always been active and social, but Steven faces it with acceptance, grace, and gratitude. That said, he misses “the real world” since finding himself suddenly homebound. He is hard of hearing, which also makes life more isolated.
