Steve died December 29, 2018, at his home in Gig Harbor, WA. He was a graduate of Oregon State University and joined the Marine Corps and was among the first troops to serve in Vietnam. Steve taught middle school in Grants Pass, Oregon, before a smokejumping injury ended both careers. Steve then went to work for Weyerhaeuser and retired in 2000.

Steve worked with the Boy Scouts for over thirty years and was very active in the NSA Trails Program. He was the editor of the annual Trails Program Report. Steve jumped at Idaho City 1962-64, 1967-69, Boise 1970 and Cave Junction 1971.