Obituary: Rouse, Steve
Steve died quietly due to complications from decline of vascular dementia, at the age of 75.
Steve disliked funerals, and shared he did not need one.
Instead he would want us to celebrate his life and accomplishments.
So in loving memory, please visit a memorial web site dedicated to Stephen Rouse at: http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/Rouses/homepage.aspx On the site, send the family and others messages, and share your memories of Steve.
Steve lived a strong, hard working, and hard playing life.
Born November 1937, in Spokane, Washington to Homer and Madeline Rouse.
Graduating from the oldest extant high school in Spokane, he earned a Lewis Clark High School diploma in 1956.
Attended Eastern Washington University, interested in Architecture for one year.
Steve was a combat engineer in the military.
Steve was honorably discharged from the Army, 1964.
Steve married his first wife, Kathleen, later divorcing in 1979.
They had their three children Stephanie, Melissa, and Gregory.
Starting as a painter working for his father at Rouse’s body shop, later he took over and bought the business from his father.
Steve proved to be an enterprising, bold, businessman and later community member.
He developed the business to include Rouse’s Towing and Hauling and Division Hill Towing, Steve’s Towing, ACE City Towing, ACE Valley Towing, Rouse’s Valley Towing, Spokane Salvage Pool, Payless Auto Painting.
The Towing became an entity on it’s own, becoming the known recovery service in the Inland Northwest.
From Rouse’s he met and married his second wife, Darlene, 1979, including her two children Michael and Michelle.
Steve and Darlene Rouse dedicated years industriously working, and raising children.
Operating Rouse’s until their retirement.
As eagerly as they worked, they played with vigor as well.
They thoroughly enjoyed racing, fishing, and traveling.
Convincingly, the MANY photos prove it.
Steve spent the last many years with his dog Buddy, and family, as his wife had passed away.
His daughter, Missy, spent the last several years as his caretaker and confidant.
He enjoyed many a football game of his grandsons, and eating at his favorite haunts giving them all a hard time, Longhorn BBQ and Dollies to name a few.
Steve embodied working hard.
He worked hard, and expected the same from others.
He passed this work ethic onto his children.
He taught this, and lived it.
His working career began with sweeping in his father’s shop, as a young man.
Steve always had a love of working and building, and went towards a degree at EWU in architecture.
Instead he pursued the army and combat engineering.
Served his term, and honorably discharged.
He returned to Rouse/Duchwo as a painter in the body shop.
He also worked at Jiggs Towing, which he later combined with his dad’s business.
Steve bought into his father’s business, and Rouse’s was formed.
He grew Rouse’s Towing and Hauling into the success you may know it to be.
It became with his work ethic, the premier towing and hauling business in the Inland Northwest.
He founded Spokane Salvage Pool, later Payless Auto Painting, with multiple locations.
From the first solo business effort back with Jiggs, he promoted and expanded the Towing to an empire including Rouse’s Towing and Hauling and Division Hill Towing, Steve’s Towing, ACE City Towing, ACE Valley Towing, Rouse’s Valley Towing, Spokane Salvage Pool, Payless Auto Painting.
As a true entrepreneur he pursed other business ventures, but always back to his true love, Rouse’s.
He loved to work, build, and grow his business.
In retirement after the sale of the business, the complete buy out being the only way he would leave.
Steve played various parts and consulting, eventually assisting management in buying back Rouse’s.
He dedicated his life to this labor of love.
Just as he liked to work hard, he loved to play hard.
It’s said, “the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.”
Steve exemplifies this saying.
As an adult if it had a motor, Steve operated it.
He began with motor cross, being sponsored by companies.
Next came dunebuggys.
Steve raced in the Baja 1000, the off road race.
He achieved his pilot license.
He later put his wheels back on the ground, and began stock car racing, and his long career there.
His family spent many a night stateline at a car race.
Never idle, he ran snowmobiles, boats, bikes, cars, airplanes, trucks.
He enthusiastically enjoyed all these toys.
He was always his best sponsor.
He liked to sponsor adult sports teams in softball, basketball, and hockey, with the perk of playing as well.
Hockey being his favorite.
Later in life he went back to the hunting and fishing, he knew as a boy with his father and friends.
In true Steve nature, he started small and went BIG.
Hunting resumed with his son Greg - and progressed into guided hunting trips including boar, elk, moose, deer, bear, and antelope.
From big to small, Steve and Darlene began with trips to Canada fishing with the Troyers, sleeping in their van.
Moving to a motorhome and deep sea fishing boat, they enjoyed fishing with friends, Troyers and Amstutes.
Who had the biggest, best fishing boat?
Troyers remained good friends, visiting Steve till the very end of life.
Clearly, Steve and Darlene loved to fish!
Loved their boat!
Loved the Salmon!
He played hard.
“Travel is the only thing you buy, that makes you richer.”
From that airplane trip in 1974 he piloted, to his world travels — he was rich.
Steve and Darlene traveled to many destinations.
Reaching places all over the globe, they experienced Japan, England, New Zealand, Australia, Islands far and near, Canada, Europe, Mexico to name a few.
Closer to home, they traversed in their motorhome.
No ordinary motor home, it was all decked out and customized to meet their needs, and of course fishing.
Riches and photos abound.
Steve is survived by his sister Carol Atkins; children Stephanie Langton with husband Scot, Melissa Rouse, Greg Rouse with wife Renee, Michael Brockway, Michelle Lavin with husband Stacy; and 18 grandchildren: Kayla D’Aprile, Chelsea Rouse, Kloee Rouse, Mariah Rouse, Jacob Rouse, Easton Lavin, Will Langton, Noah Rouse-Amicarella, Blake Lavin, Luke Langton, Zackary Rouse, Delaney Langton, Tyler Brockway, Max Lavin, Adam Rouse, Kelly Brockway, Elizabeth Rouse, Allie Lavin.
Thank you to Hospice, and Guardian Angel Homes for their care.
Any memorial donations can be made in Steve’s name to Hospice House of Spokane, PO Box 2215, Spokane WA 99210-2215.