Stephen Arras

Stephen Kenneth Arras Resident of Walnut Creek Stephen, 38, a devoted son, beloved brother and kind uncle, passed away suddenly on January 19, 2010 at home. Born in Berkeley, California in October of 1971, Stephen and his family moved to Walnut Creek when he was three years old, and Walnut Creek remained his home for most of his life. Stephen attended Murwood Elementary School, Walnut Creek Intermediate and Berean Christian High School. He ran cross-country at Berean and graduated in 1990. Throughout his adult life, Stephen was a lover of all things horses and a "part-time" cowboy. After high school, he traveled throughout the American West and worked as a ranch hand, learning the cattle business. His stops included locations in rural northern California, Wyoming, Montana, Washington and Colorado. He attended a horsemanship school in eastern Colorado and also took equine related classes in Alturas, California. Among other cowboy jobs, he stayed and worked on a large cattle ranch in Wyoming. Stephen worked as a local contractor and small businessman in Contra Costa County, with remodeling and handyman work being his focus. He was a perfectionist and always wanted to get his jobs done right. Because of this, he had a faithful base of clients who repeatedly employed his services. Stephen was a true patriot and was always helpful, kind and unselfish, in the truest sense of the word-he was a friend to all. We will miss him greatly until we can see him again in Heaven, where we know he will be waiting for us all. Stephen is predeceased by his grandparents (of Minnesota and Connecticut), and is survived by his parents, Ken and Betty Arras of Walnut Creek; twin brother Eric of Sacramento; brother Chris and sister-in-law Mitzi of Petaluma; his nieces Tyra and Hannah and nephew Pierce. A memorial service is scheduled for Monday, January 25, 2010 at New Life Church, 2501 Danville Boulevard, Alamo. Viewing will begin at 11am with the service to follow immediately thereafter. After a post-service reception at New Life, Stephen's earthly remains will be laid to rest at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Lafayette at approximately 2:30pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Stephen's name to St. Jude's Children Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.