Steven Kreisman

With his loving wife, Kate, by his side, Steve passed away peacefully on December 19, 2025, in Medford, Oregon. He is now resting in the love of Jesus.
Steve was born to Evelyn and Arthur Kreisman on January 14, 1945, in Boston, Massachusetts, the second of four boys. When he was 12 years old, Steve was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Though the disease never defined him, he once overheard a doctor tell his parents he wouldn't live past his teens. Whether because of that prognosis, or simply because of who he was, Steve became determined to enjoy life to its fullest-and he did. He never let his diagnosis slow him down. Known as the "life of the party" with a relentlessly positive outlook, Steve had a gift for friendship. His daughter remembers that growing up, it seemed everyone in town knew her dad, and he treated every one of them as a friend. Not only did he prove that early medical prognosis wrong, he exceeded the average life expectancy for a man in 2025-a true testament to his zest for life.
Steve spent most of his life in Ashland, Oregon, graduating from Ashland Senior High School in 1963. He attended the Oregon Technical Institute (now OIT) in Klamath Falls before opening his own service station in Ashland in his early twenties. Valuing his independence over the constraints of a major oil corporation, he sold the station after a few years to pursue other ventures.
In 1970, Steve married his first wife, Sandra Kabrich. Together they had one daughter and shared many adventures; though they parted ways in the late 1980s, they remained on good terms and spent many years happily celebrating the birthdays of their grandchildren.
In 1989, Steve met Kate Goldsmith, the love of his life. They married in 1991 and shared 36 wonderful years together. They were true partners with many common interests, including a passion for motorcycles. Steve taught Kate how to ride, and the two spent years exploring the open road together.
Steve's outgoing personality made him a natural fit for his long career managing an auto parts store. He was incredibly mechanically inclined and a gifted problem solver who truly loved the customer service aspect of his work. Following his early retirement in the late 1990s due to vision loss, Steve refused to be sidelined. He trained with the Oregon Commission for the Blind to learn how to use woodworking equipment-a craft he had always wanted to master. This sparked a passion that lasted the rest of his life. He loved spending time in his shop with Kate, where they crafted birdhouses and various wood items for local markets and holiday fairs. His grandchildren were his favorite apprentices; he built them a wooden play kitchen and refrigerator and loved teaching them how to use his tools. Steve continued to create, build, and fix things right up until his final week of life.
In addition to his wife, Kate, he is survived by his daughter, Shamron Cook (whom he called "Sam"), and her husband, Kevin; his three grandchildren, Auriana Johnson and her husband, Robin, Annika Cook and her partner, Zach Daniell, and Ewan Cook; his three brothers, Peter, Richard, and James and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents, Evelyn and Arthur.
At Steve's request there will be no memorial service. There will be a celebration of life with close friends and family at a later date. In honor of Steve's resilient spirit and his lifelong journey with type 1 diabetes, the family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to one of the following organizations:
Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (formerly Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (Formerly JDRF)): To support research for a cure for the disease Steve fought so bravely for over 68 years and to find a cure for his grandchildren who also live with this disease. https://www2.breakthrought1d.org/site/TR?fr_id=10446&pg=personal&px=2231505
The Oregon Commission for the Blind: To support the programs that gave Steve the tools to pursue his passion for woodworking. https://or.accessgov.com/ocb-donations/Forms/Page/ocb-donations/donations/1