Obituary: Rademaker, Steven Thomas
Age 57
Steve was born in Denver, Colorado to Thomas and Patricia Rademaker on March 18th, 1957.
He grew up in Lewistown, in the heart of Montana, and graduated from Fergus Co. High School.
Steve graduated from the University of Montana in 1979 and the Western Montana Center of Medical Technology in Missoula, MT in 1980.
Steve was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.
Steve began his medical career high in the mountains of Colorado at St. Vincent Hospital in Leadville, where he loved to hike the highest peaks and skied to his heart’s content for eleven years.
Steve married his high school sweetheart, Susan, in 1981 and in 1990, they had a son, Nikolas Steven.
The family eventually moved to Spokane, Washington where Steve managed hospital laboratories for Valley Hospital, Shriner’s Hospital for Children and Providence Holy Family for over 20 years.
Steve moved home to Kalispell, MT, his “healing place”, in the late summer of 2011 and worked as the Laboratory Director for Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
He loved every minute he spent working at the hospital and playing in the Flathead Valley!
Steve had a passion for sports and excelled at them.
He was an incredible athlete, who could endure chemo and still ride his bike up Logan Pass in Glacier Park with great friends!
Steve was even able to finish The Summit’s 80 mile swim around Flathead Lake” in 2014.
Steve was a finisher in the 2011 Coeur D’ Alene Iron Man, and past winner of Spokane’s “Hoopfest”.
He loved the water and his favorite time was spent boating and camping each year on Kalispel Island at Priest Lake with family and friends.
Steve was crazy about his grandchildren and savored the time he spent with them.
He loved his University of Montana Grizzlies, his cowboy boots and his labs, Rocket and Breaker.
Steve thought highly of life and was truly “golden”.
In the end, we were left with his essence: a radiant smile, an optimistic attitude and an instinctive kindness.
Steve was preceded in death by his mother, Patricia Rademaker.
He is survived by his wife, Susan and son, Nikolas, daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, and grandsons: Landon and Steven Rademaker.
Steve is also survived by his father, Thomas Rademaker (wife, Joyce); siblings: Karen Simpson (husband, Joe), Mike Rademaker (wife, Marge) and David Rademaker (wife, Shauna); and nine nieces and nephews: Janelle, Mark and David Simpson, Jayden and Caleb Rademaker, Carmel Chapa, Brooke Rose McGuire and Amanda and Angela Andrikopoulos.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, December 20th, at 2 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church in Kalispell, MT, where we will bow our heads, not in sorrow, but in the deepest of gratitude for having known this wonderful man.
Oh and Steve, “URTBO” (You are the BEST one!).
A reception at the Church will follow the service.
If desired, donations can be sent to the KRH Foundation, 310 Sunnyview Lane, Kalispell, MT 59901…Attn: “Steve’s Healing Place”….where a bench will be placed outside The Rock Building for patients and family to sit and heal while gazing at the Peaks of Glacier National Park.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Steve’s family.
You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence and sign Steve’s guest book.