Stephen Gerald Hyde

Stephen Gerald ‘Steve’ Hyde was born on January 2, 1939 to Raymond Leo and Mildred May Hyde in Anamosa Iowa where he won the new baby contest that year.  He died on April 23, 2024 at the age of 85 in Blaine, Washington.

Steve grew up in Anamosa, Iowa with his sister Devonna Matthiessen and had extended family who lived in nearby farming communities.  He attended St. Louis University for undergraduate and the University of Iowa for Dental School.  It was at the University of Iowa in the Newman Center (Catholic Student Center) and in the student dental clinic where he first met Nilda Elida Alvarez, another student at the University of Iowa.  They married on June 8, 1963.  Steve entered the Army during the Vietnam War as a Dental Surgeon and was stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma where his son Stephen Gerald II was born.  After leaving the army, they moved to Marquette, Michigan where his daughter Terri Brook was born.  Steve and Nilda were an active part of the community in Marquette until 1980 with two years in Texas in 1977-1979.  In 1980, Steve and Nilda brought their family to Mukilteo, Washington where he had a thriving Dental Practice.  Steve and Nilda discovered Birch Bay, Washington in 1984 and bought land. They retired full time and moved to Birch Bay in 2001.

Steve thoroughly enjoyed his professional life as a dentist and was always learning and expanding his dental skills.  He and Nilda started many thriving dental practices in the places they lived in Michigan, Texas, and Washington state.  He was part of the communities serving in the Knights of Columbus.

Steve’s motto in life though was ‘work to live and not live to work’.  While living in Iowa and Michigan, Steve had an avid love of hunting.  It was in the early 1970’s where Steve discovered his passion for sailing.  In the cold winters in Upper Michigan, Steve built a Catamaran named the Vasha II after his daughter – a boat he could sail on Lake Superior during the summers.  He eventually bought a Westsail 32, named Gitana.  This is the boat that he spent over 30 years lovingly building and rebuilding, refinishing the teak decks. When he moved to Texas, he and his son sailed this boat through New York Harbor along the East Coast and to Corpus Christi, Texas. He spent over 20 summers taking month long sailing trips through the San Juan Islands, around Vancouver islands, and in some years into the Straits of Juan de Fuca.  During these trips he was accompanied regularly by many friends and his grandsons Connor and Eric.  He was active in the Birch Bay Village Yacht Club (BBVYC) and served as Commodore.  He loved to compete in the sailing regattas held by the BBVYC.

In addition to sailing, Steve’s hobbies ranged from golfing, woodworking, scuba diving, and underwater photography.  He was a voracious reader with a particular love of World War II fiction.  Upon his retirement, Steve decided that he would learn to play an instrument, the mandolin.  He had many years of enjoyment and played with friends in Birch Bay Village.

Steve is survived by wife Nilda, son Stephen (wife Jan) and their children Connor (deceased), Kelsey and Eric, daughter Terri and her children Dylan and Sasha.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, April 26 at 12:30pm at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 604 H Street,  Blaine, Washington. Graveside with military honors at Hillsdale Cemetery, 4504 California Trail, Blaine, WA 98230, starting at 2:00pm