STEVEN VIRGIL MENEFEE

January 25, 1981 ~ June 30, 2010

Steven Virgil Menefee of Los Banos, California and Albuquerque, New Mexico, a passionate, kind, creative soul with resolute values and ideals, passed away on Wednesday, June 30th. He was 29 years old.

Steven was born January 25th, 1981, and spent his formative years in Los Banos, having attended local schools through high school. He had a great love for the outdoors and could be found in the springtime at his family's ranch in the Valley's foothills or on the streets of Los Banos riding his skateboard. At times his hair was pink, green, or just plain brown, but his big toothy grin and freckles were always present on his smiling face.

He continued his education through college at the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of Chile, Santiago, eventually attending the University of New Mexico where he was completing his PhD in Linguistics, with an emphasis on Community Based Language Revitalization. It is in New Mexico where he met Hari, his deepest love and soul connection who became his wife. They shared a bond in the landscape, specifically the Sandia Mountains and settled into a quiet and peaceful life there amongst people who shared their kind spirit and affinity for the outdoors. Steven liked to be in the wilderness, to ‘get Alpine' as he was fond of saying.

Steven spoke several languages and traveled extensively, having trekked across parts of South America, China, Canada and the United States. He has friends all over the world due to his adventuresome spirit and natural warmth that invited people into conversation, making them more comfortable with their own presence when near his.

Steven was and is love, love to the Earth, love to his family, and love to friends and strangers alike. He will be fine in the world to come; it is we here who will miss his magic that has left us too soon. We will miss his punny smirks, belly laughs, intellectual views, vitality and his commitment to see the world as a wonderful place that could only get better through being conscious and kind.

He will be more than missed; he will be cherished.

Steven is survived by his wife, Hari Khalsa of Albuquerque, New Mexico; his parents, Jerry and Colleen Menefee of Los Banos; his brother Scott Menefee and wife Chu'an of Los Banos and their children, Jacob, Kate, Emma and Ava; his sister Sarah Min and her husband Stephen of Worthington, Ohio, and their son Henry.

A celebration of Steven's life will be held on Sunday, July 11 at 10:00 AM, at the Menefee Hill Ranch picnic grounds. All friends are invited to come join his family to share their stories and honor his beautiful life. There will be food, drink and music. Per Steven's request please wear cheerful colors! A caravan will depart from Merced College, Los Banos Campus, at 9:00AM for those who wish to follow. Allow an hour travel time from Los Banos to the site.

In lieu of flowers, the family and the University of New Mexico Foundation have established "The Steven Menefee Graduate Fund for Indigenous Language Revitalization" in honor of Steven's scholarly passion for preserving at risk indigenous languages. Please make checks payable to: The UNM Foundation, indicate "The Steven Menefee Graduate Fund" in the memo line, and mail to: UNM College of Arts & Sciences Development MSCO3 2120, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 8713-0001, Attn: Jeff MacNutt

Directions to Menefee Hill Ranch,Celebration of Steven's Life, July 11, 2010From Los Banos, CA, Drive approximately 8 miles west to the Highway 33/Gonzaga Road Exit,Take the exit and turn left over Hwy 152, At the stop sign by the truck stop, turn right onto Gonzaga Road, Continue on Gonzaga Road about ¼ mile, Take the 1st left onto Jasper Sears Road (just past the big power station on the left)

From this point, turning onto Jasper Sears, the event site is 11.4 miles into the hills. Here are the following landmarks once you turn left on the road: Miles, Turns/Landmarks, Turn onto Jasper Sears 2.0 miles, Enter gate #1 and cattle guard #1, 1.0 miles 2nd cattle guard, 1.3 miles 3rd cattle guard, Pass the old sheep camp on the right - now housing cattle. 0.6 miles "Y" in road, stay to the right. 1.3 miles, 2nd gate - main gate (electric) 0.9 miles 4th cattle guard.

Split in road, stay right over cattle guard, 0.3 miles, Split in road, stay to the left, Menefee barns are to the right, Los Banos Creek is on the left, 1.1 miles 5th cattle guard. 1.4 miles 1st creek crossing, 0.4 miles, 6th cattle guard, corral on left, 1.1 miles, Fancy wagon wheel gate (picnic ground site) on right side.