Stephen Engle

Homer resident Stephen M. Engle was found dead Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, in Homer. "Steve was born Jan. 8, 1956, in Bakersfield, Calif., and left us too soon at the young age of 53," his family wrote. "(We) and others close to him know what a kind-hearted person Steve was. Steve was very energetic, creative, and thoughtful, a bit of a prankster, and we will always remember him as that sweet boy with a mischievous smile." The family will have a wake Aug. 30 and will spread Steve's ashes on Kachemak Bay. A celebration of Steve's life will be held on his birthday, Jan. 8, 2010. Steve graduated from Service High School, attended Anchorage Community College and later trained as a personal-care attendant at Providence Hospital. He worked on the Alaska pipeline beginning in 1975 at Prudhoe Bay and Isabel Pass, and through post-construction at Prudhoe Bay in 1985. He then trained and served as a personal-care attendant from 1986 through 1998. His Aunt Marilyn remembers: "Although I was his aunt, we were close enough in age that we had lots of fun hanging out together when we were younger. I remember one winter afternoon when we took the dogs for a walk through the woods on the ice-crusted snow behind his parents' house, and we laughed so hard as he lightly glided over the surface with his big feet and small body weight, while I broke through to my knees at every step due to slightly greater pounds per square inch! "He had a lifelong affection for animals and they for him. At times it seemed to be an almost supernatural kinship. Once when we were sitting in a little general store-cafe trying to warm up after hiking around in a sleety drizzle for half the day, somebody came in with a setter type dog, and the dog just quietly walked through the tables and about a dozen other people and laid down at Steve's feet like he had known him all his life. It was eerie, but not if you knew Steve. Animals were just drawn to him." Steve was preceded in death by his father, Stan. He is survived by his wife, Judy Knight; mother, Doris Engle; brother, Rod Engle; nephews, Woody, Gus and Max Engle; aunt, Marilyn Engle Cox; uncles, Noble Engle, Loren Engle and Tim Cox; and many other relatives and friends. Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.