Steven James Wheeler

R.I.P Steven

Steven will always be a part of my memories of the many Black-Wheeler family trips to the ocean and in the mountains from the time he was old enough to play in the sand and hike a mountain trail. I remember Steven climbing the ocean front hillocks by our Sand Point camp near Lake Ozette, banging pots to scare away the black bear at night on the shoulder of Mt. Rainier at Spray Park and his glissading heroics on the Bailey Range High Traverse. Dates and the logistics of these many trips are...

One day Steven asked me if I knew how to tell what the weather was going to be. I said “red sky at night”... He said “watch to see if the planes are landing at SeaTac from the north or south. If they are coming in from the north, then we are going to have great weather”. Now when I am on my daily walk with my dog Spencer, I look to the sky and watch for the planes coming in from the north and say “thank you Steven”.

I am still stunned and saddened by the news of the passing of such a wonderful spirit. I knew Steve from both Asa Mercer and Lakeside.

My favorite memory of Steve was when Tammy Eng and I showed up at the Wheeler house for his sister Charlotte's surprise birthday party. We were so surprised that no one else was there. When Charlotte left the room, Steve leaned over with his sparkly eyes and whispered, "You guys, it's NEXT week!" The next day, he kept grinning at us and shaking his...

I am so saddened by Steven's passing and can't imagine the loss that his family must be feeling. We were able to attend the memorial and were amazed and gladdened by the huge turn out and level of support; it was surprising to attend such a sad event but find yourself laughing and singing!

We met Steven, Ragna and Sofia when they bought the house across the street from us (we were renting the "pink house"). They came over and introduced themselves and we were excited because we...

A day after Steven's memorial service I went backpacking for four days on the wild Olympic Coast of Washington. Steven believed that he would be returning to nature upon his passing, and I found him there. My sorrow is far from gone, but the roaring surf rinsed my sadness, cleaned it up a bit.

Soon, Steven's ashes will rest in his favorite wild and lofty place: Mount Rainier.

Steven, I will always find you in nature and hold you in my memory. Our collective memory of...

My deepest condolences to the Wheeler family and Steven's wife and daughter.

Years ago, as young kids in the Mt. Baker neighborhood, Steven and I were best friends. It started at John Muir in the same kindergarten class and continued through junior high.

I won't ever forget trips to Sun Lakes, riding tandem - screaming the whole way - down Mt. St. Clare in the famous blue gokart, biking church hill, acting out Gertrude and Bertram during annual Halloween shows at the...

I met Steven when I was about 13. He was the younger brother of my best friend Charlotte. He was also the very close friend of my now husband, Josh Schroeter. We had some of our best times as a merry little band of four in New York City. One New Year's Eve the four of us were wandering around the city after eating a Hungarian dinner and listening to live music. It had started to snow lightly and we decided to go to Central Park and the ice rink to be with our new friend, Vincent Hilliard,...

Steven Wheeler gone. This can’t be true. He’s the kid that beat all the odds, won all the battles, slayed all the dragons and charmed all the women. It doesn’t fit. How can one reconcile his death with the portrait of a young healthy man with so much power and so many more good things yet to come? I can’t. For me he will always be the perpetual optimist, the first one to take the leap, the one that lives the dream instead of wishing for it, the entrepreneur, the one that makes heads turn when...