Steve BOOTS

1946 - 2024

Steve Boots, our beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, and Papa, passed away unexpectantly in the hospital due to acute hypoxic respiratory failure and pneumonia on December 31, 2024. He was born in Glendale, CA, to Emereth and Geraldine Boots on October 12, 1946. He was an exceptional athlete who was successful in multiple sports, but he liked swimming and especially playing football the most. He was awarded a 4-year scholarship to play football at Washington State University, and he played on the team of the legendary 1965 Cardiac Kids. As school ended in 1968, he left Pullman to participate in a football trial with the BC Lions Football Club. After that, he moved to Seattle where he played for the Seattle Rangers football team. He loved playing for the Rangers but had a knee injury both seasons, ending his dream of any future football career.

At the end of his first season with the Rangers, he married his college sweetheart, Janice Williams, who taught second grade in Redmond, WA. He enrolled in extension classes at UW to complete his WSU degree in Physical Education with minors in Health Education and Fine Arts and a Washington State Provisional Teaching Certificate. In 1970, teaching positions in his field of study were scarce in greater Seattle, so he went to work in the Commercial Credit industry. That lasted 12 years and he moved from Kirkland, WA, to Spokane, WA, to Mission Viejo, CA.

In 1981, Steve and Jan were brought into the family businesses owned by Jan's father in Spokane, WA. They moved back to Spokane, as her father was preparing to retire. Steve began work in the scaffold business at that time and worked there for 32 years until his own retirement in 2013. The business involved manufacturing and marketing scaffold components throughout the U.S. and Canada. He served on two product liabilities insurance boards and went through the chairs in two scaffold professional organizations. Between selling product and work with these national groups, he and Jan traveled the U.S. extensively, as well as Mexico, Canada, Great Britain, and Bermuda.

He belonged to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, the Hayden Lake Country Club since 1989, and he was a charter member of Hayden Lake Yacht Club. He was active in Rotary Club #21 of Spokane for many years and was also a loyal member of the Republican party.

In 1985, Steve and Jan bought a small vacation cabin on Hayden Lake. In 2000, he had the original cabin torn down and rebuilt to better accommodate their growing family. They had "their forever" home built and completed on Meadowood Golf Course at Liberty Lake, in 1992.

Steve loved playing golf and enjoyed fly fishing trips with his friends. He was an avid Cougar football fan and attended games for many years. He loved his family above all else, especially spending time with his 11 grandchildren as they grew up.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Emereth and Geraldine Boots. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Jan; sons: Sean (Bridget) and Adam (Kendra); daughter: Suzanne Auld (Chris); 11 grandchildren; his brothers: Jack (Holly) and Ed (Suzanne); plus, numerous nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life at Hayden Lake Country Club is planned for February 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be sent to Alzheimer's Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871-1950, and/or the Steve Gleason Institute for Neuroscience at Washington State University Foundation, PO Box 641925, Pullman, WA 99165. To offer condolences to the family, visit www.hennesseyvalley.com.