Stephen Wayne Stipe

STEPHEN WAYNE STIPE
February 8, 1949 ˜ March 4, 2026

Stephen Wayne Stipe was born Feb. 8, 1949 in Ogden, Utah and died March 4, 2026 in Vancouver, Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Wayne Stipe and Emily Esther Schoonmaker, and two sons, Erik Wayne and Christopher Ray Stipe. He is survived by his wife, Gail Welsh; daughter, Tiffany Hayes (James); grandson, Kenji White-Hopkins; sister, Cynthia Hamide [Khalil]; brother, Jeffrey Stipe; and numerous nephews and nieces.
After his family moved to Portland, Steve was introduced to golf by his father at age 12. As a teen, Steve developed his skills at Rose City and Glendoveer Golf Clubs. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1970 as an inventory management specialist. When his golf skills came to the attention of base commanders in Germany, his was quickly assigned to the US Air Force European Golf Team.
Upon discharge in 1974 at the rank of Sergeant, Steve returned to Portland. An amiable personality and competitive instinct fueled a profitable 32 year career as a high volume broker of specialized steel pipe for Western International, then a part of Forest City Lumber Products.
Steve and Gail combined their mutual interest in music and culture with golfing opportunities worldwide, greatly facilitated by his international industry contacts. A member of Club Green Meadows in Vancouver for 37 years, Steve played 180 golf courses around the world by the time he retired, recording seven hole-in-one shots along the way.
Photography was another interest that enabled Steve’s creative eye to capture the wonder and beauty of God’s creation. Over the years, Steve and Gail were also involved in a wide range of fund-raisers and improvement projects for their neighborhood, favorite charitable organizations and the Camas school district [where Gail worked].
A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m. at Columbia Presbyterian Church, 805 Columbia Ridge Dr., Vancouver, where Steve and Gail worshiped. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Columbia Presbyterian Church youth program or to Furry Friends Cat Shelter & Building Fund in Vancouver.
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