I got the opportunity to work with Steve after a reorganization at the Oregon Department of Transportation formed a unit to work on the long range plans.  Before that he worked in the Environmental Section doing economic analyses for environmental studies. One major report that he worked on was the Bend Parkway.  

Steve was highly self-motivated and only needed a manager to support him and clear the way for him to do great work.  He helped with many of the plans, but quickly became the freight expert for the agency.  He was a natural leader and helped educate others with gentle prodding, testing theories, and making suggestions.

Steve was humble; he wrote the first major freight study for the agency, Freight Moves the Oregon Economy. This study provided a great deal of information about the tie between the movement of freight and the importance of freight to the state and the link to the national and even the international economy. The document provided an agenda of actions that could be pursued by the agency or others in the state to raise awareness of freight issues. In the printed version he didn’t give himself credit, he simply listed himself as the contact.

He was instrumental in the formation of a freight advisory committee.  It began as an informal committee and the freight community took it to the Legislature and it was formalized as the Freight Advisory Committee. Steve worked tirelessly with freight leaders in Oregon and the leadership within the Agency to craft an agenda.

He became a friend to me and to my family.  He was always a kind and thoughtful friend that I will miss dearly. 

Steve fast became a close colleague of mine shortly after I came to Nebraska in 1971.  He and I were graduate students in the Geography Department at UNL, roommates one summer, and later co-workers in the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.  And he continued to be a great friend afterward, visiting us now and then after he moved to Oregon.  I now think back to  trips I took with Steve in the 1970's, being members of a bowling team together, collaborating on some work projects, and discussing almost all things imaginable with him on beers after work.  Those were great days for me, and having Steve as one of my most valued friends was one of the reason why. 

Uncle Steve enjoyed camping with some of his close friends, former students, and family.  He also enjoyed long road trips in his Tacoma pickup and welcomed excuses to camp all over the country.  Here's a picture of Steve playing frisbee with my son on a family camping trip at Joshua Tree in 2011.

If you would like to share how you met or knew Steve, or have any memories or photos to share, please feel free!  I have already learned some things about my uncle that I didn't know and I know other friends and family who would enjoy hearing from other people in his life.