Steve Hanson

Steven Vidyaran Hanson, 69, a resident of Pinecliffe, died on February 16, 2020 of cancer. Born in Oakland California on March 8, 1951 to Robert Carl Hanson and Margaret Bremner, Steve attended Flatirons Elementary, Baseline Junior High, and Boulder High School. Steve worked as a chef on the Big Island of Hawaii in the early 1970s, then at the Broker Inn in Boulder. He made exquisitely perfect hollandaise sauce and once earned a standing ovation from the brunch guests at a mountain eatery who had watched him prepare it on a camp stove. Steve took great pride in working hard and well, and his generosity was legendary. He had a talent for living with an ultra-light environmental footprint, which he learned in rural Hawaii, and perfected over many decades in the mountain communities above Nederland, He hiked and camped across the Front Range backcountry, especially the Indian Peaks and Rainbow Lakes areas, sharing unmapped trails and lakes with a lucky few. He taught many relatives and friends the art of fly-fishing and other mountain skills. A witty raconteur, Steve charmed friends and strangers with his conversations and stories. He also wrote maxims and tall tales about the heroic adventures of his beloved Akita, Bear, and the famous Chef Bon-Soir. After recovery from a serious illness in 2008, Steve became an avid consumer of BBC documentaries, a movie connoisseur and a pickle-ball adept. The greatest joy of the last decade of his life were the profound connections he developed with neighbors and with participants in his beloved yoga community. Steve is survived by sisters Holly and Julie, cousins, nieces, a nephew, very many beloved friends, and his faithful dog Motley. A yoga scholarship fund has been established in Steve's memory: contributions can be made to stevehansonyogafund@gmail.com. A celebration of Steve's life will be held in late July.