Obituary: Van Valkinburgh, Stephen A
Age 56
Steve graduated from Lewis & Clark High School in 1974.
He started working as a cook at The Crescent in downtown Spokane.
A couple of years later Steve started cooking in the restaurant at Rosauers Supermarkets where he eventually moved into the meat department, working there until 2006.
Steve loved to read about, watch and play golf.
In recent years he discovered that he enjoyed watching soccer and started following the Seattle Sounders.
He was an enthusiast of Theology as well as American and European history.
He could not wait for football season to start and plan his strategies for his fantasy football team, Grant’s Buds.
He was the biggest Viking fan anyone around here had ever seen.
Steve had his Mustang painted purple to show his pride.
He was even ok that Percy Harvin just got traded; he said that they needed to let him go to get a quarterback.
Steve loved old rock music like The Beatles, The Doors, The Police and Pink Floyd.
He loved the TV shows The Price is Right, Dexter, The Office, and anything on BBC.
He thought that The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were the best stories of all time.
He was always a fan of well done, scary movies and thought it was a good idea to show his five year old daughter the opening scene to The Twilight Zone movie.
It was not, but she managed to recover.
Steve wanted people to think for themselves and question everything, not just do what they were told to.
This back-fired a bit as his daughter became a teenager.
He was so happy when his granddaughter was born and proud of his daughter and son in law.
Steve always said that he could not have asked for a better son in law and father for his granddaughter even though he is a Lions fan.
Steve is survived by Daughter Courtney (Chris), Granddaughter Camryn, Mother Vivian, Sister Terri and Brothers David and Gerald as well as the best group of friends one could ask for.
He is preceded in death by some of his favorites; Greer Garson, Bud Grant, Keith Moon, John Lennon, Syd Barrett and Richard Wright, Payne Stewart.
Thank you to the doctors and nurses at Sacred Heart Hospital and Hospice House.
A gathering will be held at Rosauers Supermarket on 29th Ave, in the area next to the deli on Friday April 12th from 10am to Noon.
We ask that you bring with you a note of your favorite story of Steve so that it can be put into a scrapbook for his granddaughter.
If you are unable to attend you can mail your stories to 1314 S Grand Blvd #2-189 Spokane, WA 99202.