Stephen Corlett "Farmer Steve" Schuh

Stephen Corlett Schuh “Farmer Steve” died June 27, 2025, at Skagit Valley Hospital with his daughter and son at his side. On June 25 he had a medical emergency while delivering berries. Heroic efforts of a farm employee, neighbor, and local first responders got his heart beating and then to the hospital.

Steve was born on May 21, 1938, in Bellingham, WA.  When Steve was four, the family – Eugene, Mildred, and older brother Walter “Walt”, settled on Beaver Marsh Road, west of Mount Vernon, WA. The family soon increased with the addition of his younger brother William “Bill.”

After the move to Skagit County, the Schuh family began attending St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. While attending St. Paul’s Sunday School, Steve met Susan Everett. Little did he know that someday she would become his wife and business partner. Steve stayed active at St. Paul’s his entire life, to include serving on the Vestry and assisting with Shrove Tuesday.

Steve’s education began in the two-room Harmony schoolhouse. He then attended junior high at Lincoln School and graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1956. After earning his AA from Skagit Vally College, a bachelor's degree in animal husbandry from Oregon State University was the next step.

Following Steve’s graduation from OSU, he joined the U.S. Army. After his service at Fort Knox, KY, Steve returned to Skagit County where he reconnected with Susan. They were married October 5, 1963.

While working as a truck driver for Everett Trucking, Steve and Susan started Schuh Farms with the purchase of the 80-acre Lockart farm on Bradshaw Road. Soon Steve was growing peas for sale to San Juan Cannery.

In 1967 a daughter, Jennifer “Jen”, was born. She was followed, in 1970, by her brother, Andrew “Andy”.

As they recognized the upcoming change in farming, Steve and Susan planted a u-pick strawberry field at the corner of Memorial Highway and Bradshaw Road in 1978. Other fresh market produce soon followed – pumpkins, corn, strawberries, and raspberries. With retail business thriving, Steve and Susan expanded by purchasing the current retail location on Memorial Highway.

Over the years, Steve and Susan continued to think outside the box by expanding into various fresh market products. These included marionberries, tayberries, loganberries, and boysenberries. The farm also began the annual ritual of fall school tours of the u-pick pumpkin patch. Steve took pride in providing top quality produce to many wholesale accounts, including Thrifty Foods, the Farmhouse Inn (Shawn O’Donnell’s), Country Farms, and Anthony’s restaurants. Steve’s already bigger-than-life smile grew even bigger when he walked into one of the Anthony’s restaurants to enjoy his own berries.

Steve was always thinking of ways to bring more people to Schuh Farms. He and Susan toured other farms with North American Farm Direct Marketing Association and attended trade shows in Chicago and Las Vegas looking for ideas. Soon Schuh Farms included baked goods from their bakery; coffee, ice cream, and “Schuh” berry shakes from the latte stand, “Udderly Delicious;” corn maze; lawn mower tractor train; and a Christmas store with trees flocked by Steve.

Steve loved life. He skied Puget Sound as a young man and Mount Baker for more than 50 years. He also loved music, whether it was attending Skagit Symphony, the opera, a local musical, or listening to Elvis Presley while driving. His hearty laugh could be heard far and wide while enjoying comedy like “The Carol Burnett Show” or “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” He also enjoyed reading aloud the jokes from Reader’s Digest or The Furrow.

Steve could regularly be seen driving Schuh Farms’ barrel train in various county parades. As a John Deere fan, Steve loved the camaraderie of the local Cascade Two Cylinder Club, which included making ice cream with his John Deere Model G tractor.

Steve was extra proud of his grandchildren, Aaron, Hannah, Juliana, Stephen, and Andrea. He always looked forward to watching them play sports, dance, graduate from college or tell him of their next adventure in life.

Steve was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Susan. Steve was also preceded in death by his parents, Gene and Mildred, his brothers Walt and Bill, his sisters-in-law Lillian and Kristi, and brother-in-law Jerry Schei.

Steve is survived by his daughter Jennifer (John) and their children Stephen Breckenridge and Andrea Breckenridge all of Mount Vernon; and son Andy (Bonnie) of Mount Vernon and their children Hannah of New York, NY, Julianna of Seattle, WA, and Aaron Wolfe (Kaitlyn) of Laguna Niguel, CA. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Diane Schuh of Houston, TX,  and brother-in-law Bill Everett of Tucson, AZ, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Additionally, Steve is survived by his friend Margaret Weidenbach of La Conner.

A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Mount Vernon, WA, on Friday, August 22, 2025, at 2:00 pm. A reception at Schuh Farms, 15530 SR 536, immediately following . A private family interment will occur at an earlier date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church to be designated to the Organ Fund.