Steve

We first met back in 2011 when my wife and I were house hunting. There was a small house we liked that was in its own little canyon. The house wasn’t anything special but the grounds were. There was a small, year round brook, that flowed through the property.  

The brook had a small grassy area on each side and those were surrounded by manmade rock walls, probably six or seven feet tall. The house was built on the edge of this and there was a bridge across it for getting into the garage. There was something a bit “fairytale-ish” about the place. Well, except that it was overgrown with many young tree saplings!

Anyway, we saw the house was for sale so we gave the realtor a call to ask about the house. This was the first time we talked to Steve. We met him at the house the next day. We learned that he was selling it because it belonged to folks from his extended family or his ex-wife’s extended family. It doesn’t really matter.

He showed us around the house. It was rough. What we liked about Steve right off the bat was he was honest, knew the housing industry forwards and backwards and told great stories!

A few months later we were ready to start looking for a home and decided to have Steve be our realtor. He wasn’t just a realtor though, he became a friend. He was at every key event we had and we often met for a meal.

Over the years we bought and sold a number of homes due to work moves and such. Steve was there each step of the way making sure things were done right and everything went smoothly. He cared.

Steve had a high level of empathy and really cared that we were doing well and we were happy. The last home we purchased, we purchased via only a phone walk through with Steve. When we first saw the house in person, an hour before we closed, Steve pulled me aside and asked me 3 times if I was happy with the house and liked it. He cared, he really cared. 

He was a stickler for doing things right and had a hard time with folks that didn’t. Especially in business. He cared about the details. He also followed the market and the trends of the industry and could give use deep insight into the goings and comings of the housing market.

He loved wild animals, some of them. He would feed birds and such around his home and always had a funny story about them. He also had bear stories from his sister’s home in the mountains.

Those stories. Steve was one of the best story tellers I ever met. He could make anything interesting and funny. Serious or not. He told us many stories about his life, good times and bad. He did have some very tough times but he always worked through them and came out a better person.

Steve died suddenly a few weeks ago. We had talked about meeting for dinner and I had called to figure out a schedule for that and to also tell him we needed to sell the house (work). He never called back or responded to messages. A little unusual. We were talking to a mutual friend a day or two later and he let us know what happened. My wife learned more from his partner. She filled us in on the details. Needless to say we were in shock. Still are.

Steve, here’s to you my friend, my brother! You brought us many smiles, you brought us love, you brought us you. I miss you and I know the world was a much better place with you in it. The best I can say is one of your punchlines to a story you shared with my wife and I many years ago. French Fries!

Rest in peace my brother, you have earned your rest.