We miss Steve everyday! Rick talks about Steve and their special friendship often. Rick recently commented about the special 'neighbor' friendship you can only have with your neighbor! The ease of enjoying impromptu times because they are right there- next door to you! They had a wonderful friendship and Rick respected & admired Steve very much. The two of them kept in contact via email and Rick loved getting Steve's updates of life with the Baldwins. Here is one of those fun emails from Steve to Rick.

To: 'Rick DePrey' Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2010 7:58 PM Subject:RE: Recipes & Life!  

Hey  Rick,

Wow,  the last 48+ hrs. just flew by!!

On Monday there was a light snow here all day and we got 2” of light “fluff”  snow.  Then, yesterday was sunny and about 10+ degrees warmer so it  melted.  A true “Jan. thaw” is supposedly about to arrive with predicted  high’s of 33-36 for tomorrow thru Sunday, and no snow in the 10-day  forecast! 

Been  busy finalizing our trip plan for Florida and exchanging constant  emails…discovered the rental car companies are now just like the airlines…they  advertise/quote low rates but the true cost is after they add a ton of  “drop-off” & airport fees, etc.  However, an advantage of aging, I also  discovered that our AARP discount at Hertz provides a HUGE discount and great deal, especially in our case on a 1-week  rental…saved a ton compared to others and even cheaper than our AAA discount  deal with Avis that I’ve used in the past!

Over  the holidays, an old friend of ours from California days sent us the email  address for a mutual friend (my former boss) from Santa Barbara days that we had  lost track of and told us she was in Florida now.  On Monday, I connected  with her and discovered that she lives on the central Florida coast directly  across the state from the Reilly’s (a 4-5 hr. drive).  So, we’re now  visiting the Reilly’s for a few days and then drive over and stay with Mary and  her husband for 2 days; haven’t seen them in over 15 yrs so will be fun.   They have a house/dock/boat just off

the  Atlantic right on the inter-coastal canal, which I haven’t seen for decades so  am looking forward to it.

I’ve  also been preoccupied since late Tuesday with the horrific news on the Haiti  earthquake and human disaster there.  Made me recall the ’77 Santa Barbara  earthquake we experienced there which was ‘only’ a 5.0 quake…can’t imagine the  damage a 7.0 quake would do!!   And a country that has no  infrastructure and ability to afford or respond to any catastrophe, let alone a  quake of this magnitude…I feel like I’m watching not only the death of so many  but a country as well.  Seeing that we asked the military to ‘take the  lead’ on the rescue/relief effort makes me also wonder and am concerned how much  more we can ask of our military forces who are now deploying there, many just  back from Iraq or Afgan tours…at what point do they hit that emotional ‘breaking  point’ from too much stress!?

Not to  worry as to getting ‘stir-crazy’ here (that doesn’t usually occur for me until  late Feb. or March)…I’ve hardly made a dent in my planned indoor projects list  for winter; Seems like there’s always some new #1  priority and the intended projects don’t get done.  But, the days do fly by  and I guess that’s a good thing, likewise, good to get organized.

With  the phone and internet, we often are glad for a quiet evening as some days are  non-stop.  Dave & Phyllis just left yesterday and will be back next  week.  Last year they stayed all Jan. from after Christmas until their Feb.  ski trip.  This year they are almost doing the same.  I think I had  told you that unlike Tom, me and yourself, Dave bought their property for the  winter!  He is the opposite of all of us and ‘tolerates’ the heat of  summers for the winter he loves and his passion which is skiing.  They  spend way more time up here in the winter than the summer!

So, Now  you did it!!   One of Rose’s passions is cooking and having (and always adding to) her  great recipe files.  We have always enjoyed and done Mexican food (since  California days in the ‘70’s) and especially since Stephanie is into it big  time.  Recall that Dr. Tim is a native Texan and was raised on the  “Tex-Mex” cooking of his Mom and loves Mexican food.  Judy has his Mom’s  recipes and made her Enchiladas for us when they came here for dinner last  fall…and then gave Rose the recipe.  We just did them for Stephanie when  they were here for Christmas and they all loved them as much as we  do!

Rose is  off on a quick trip down to the cities but wanted me to be sure and “trade” you  Judy’s recipes for your Burrito one!  It’s an attached Word doc. so I hope  you can open and use it.  We’ll probably be trying your burrito recipe this  weekend. 

Anyway,  I’m sure Rose will be excited to trade recipes with you anytime you  want!

Hope  you like the Enchiladas one!

Thanks,

Steve

I met Steve at graduate school orientation and we established an immediate connection.  Meeting Steve gave me an instant feeling that maybe graduate school in a large, impersonal city would be all right.   I had just returned from a stint working on a health project in an isolated Guatemalan village while Steve had served as a hospital orderly to fulfill his Vietnam War conscientious objector requirement.  We both were exuberant and idealistic – our mission was to change the world and re-shape health care.   Very quickly we developed a strong friendship and partnership that was unique in my life.  I say partnership because that is how Steve and I approached USC.  We accomplished and learned more together than either of us would have on our own.  Steve was gregarious and a little flamboyant with his signature leather hat.   He quickly established warm relationships with everyone.  I, on the other hand, was more shy and reserved.  I brought some organization and discipline to our partnership.   Taking most of our classes together, we embraced USC like we owned the place.  We had no fear, as we routinely challenged our professors if we thought their thinking was weak or mistaken.   We not only got away with it, we thrived.  Steve and I expanded our connections and influence: Steve’s friends became my friends and mine became Steve’s.  We devoted long hours debating issues and writing joint papers.  I fondly remember the weekends Steve and I spent together laboring on major assignments.  We were out ahead of conventional thinking as we wrote about personal responsibility for health and other economic issues. We both grew a lot and it was fun!  I believe this shared experience and friendship was a special time for both of us.

It's amazing how one memory, one moment can last a lifetime. For me, that moment was a father/son trip to Notre Dame University. Growing up as a kid, Dad got me hooked on watching Notre Dame Football games every fall. It was ironic we celebrated his life with family & friends last Saturday, August 30th 2014 - the same day as the season opener for Notre Dame - I know you were watching Dad. And today, on the eve of one of our biggest rivalry games vs Michigan tomorrow night, I'm thinking of you and that great memory/story I'll never forget. That story, I share today in your honor....

I surprised you that one Christmas Dad, I know you'll always remember too, with two tickets to the Notre Dame vs Michigan State game in South Bend, IN. I had never been to South Bend for a game, and I knew it would be special if we went back to see a game together. We flew out, just the two of us, and spent the weekend in South Bend. We toured the campus on game day. For me I'll remember feeling like I was walking thru an outdoor museum. The campus so imaculate and beautiful. But for Dad, it was like going back in time. He was so happy that day. Every corner we turned, every building we walked thru, he was smiling ear to ear.

I remember one building we stopped at was the most memorable. Pagborn Hall. The dorm Dad stayed in when he was student at Notre Dame. We walked in Dad said to a passing female student, "hey - I used to live in this dorm" The girl smiled awkwardly and walked away, she didn't say anything. Turns out that dorm today is no longer a coed dorm but an all girls dorm, and Dad and I were standing right in the middle of it, snapping pictures like tourists :)

Then of course there was the game. September 22nd, 2007. The history of Notre Dame stadium. The book store outside. The famous parade of players, coaches and the band marching into the stadium before the game. It was all so cool. We had seats just 3 rows off the field in the end zone, right next to the Notre Dame band. Dad was blown away by how cool those seats were, and baffled how I managed to find them. Notre Dame got blown out that day, I believe it was Jimmy Clausens first year there, but by no surprise the score of the game was not memorable (14-31 L), it was the moments that day that Dad and I shared. It was the most memorable father/son day I ever had, hence why I titled that day "Forever Bliss"

I love you Dad. GO IRISH!!