Murray High School Class of 1966   •   St. Paul Minnesota   •   www.murraypilots1966.org  •  info@murraypilots1966.org

8/30/1948 – 9/19/2015

from Rick Souther (2016):

In 2002 I became reacquainted with Steve and we had visits together off and on for the next 13 years. These were always lighthearted and often just fun. Mostly the chat was about art with national and world events filling the rest of the times.

More than once he reminisced about the years at Murray. By far his most enjoyable tale was a school dance (either Homecoming or Sadie Hawkins) where his guest was a 25- year-old he referred to as the "bombshell.” Almost upon entering the dance Steve felt somewhat abandoned, as his guest had found herself absolutely fixated on the teacher chaperone that evening . . . Reno. She followed him around most of the night emulating at one moment a puppy dog, the next, more of a hound. Steve's roll that night evolved into trying to keep the both of them safe . . . from getting tossed out the door. This he enjoyed greatly.

Steve spent many years (25 or so) in Chicago. For eleven of those years he was very happy with a partner. On Steve’s return to St. Paul he lived mostly in the Como-Dale area. Fairly close to one of his favorite eating spots, John’s Pizza. 

His life was almost always working in some aspect of the arts. From his modeling times (the Walker Art Center has him as the principle figure in a 7-foot painting) he went into fashion design with different studios. Jewelry design was also a creative activity which brought him accounts in many of Chicago's higher end outlets.

When we were seven years old, Steve and I took youth art classes together at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It seems that he was always destined to spend his life and find his home in the arts.

The last time I visited Steve was when I was in Minnesota for our Class 66th Birthday celebration. He had really hoped to attend but was simply too ill. He did sincerely appreciate the well wishes I shared from his classmates.