It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden and shocking passing of Steven.
Steven was pronounced dead at the Campbell River Hospital, with his wife, mother, brother and partner, stepdaughter and her husband by his side. Steven died of a massive heart attack.
Born at Nanaimo General Hospital, he was the first son of three boys. At the age of one year, 3 months, his parents moved back to Campbell River. This is where he lived, attending elementary school at Elm Street School, then Campbell River Junior High and Senior High School. Steven was active in the Sea Cadets in his teen years and at the age of sixteen he was hired to work on the spareboard at the Elk Falls Pulp Mill. At nineteen he and his bride moved to Ocean Falls where he worked at the pulp mill. Steven stayed there until the mill closed, transferring to the Elk Falls pulp mill once again. Steven was curious about the world and its problems, the stars, sun and the moon system and history. He had a good memory which worked to his advantage in the many games the family played. He loved to tease the family, which sometimes got him into trouble with family members. One year, he went on a bus tour to Reno and Virginia City, in Nevada, where he fell in love playing mostly the slot machines. After that, he and friends would fly to Las Vegas a couple of times a year or he would drive to Nanaimo to play. He loved the movies and was an avid pool player who could hold his own.
On July 9th, 2004, he married Peggy Mattson whom he had fallen in love with. They finally found a home on Discovery Drive where they spent many hours cleaning up the yard and the house. Steven took to gardening, he built a beautiful patio around their hot tub. Many hours were spent playing horse shoes, croquet and badminton and where he cooked on the barbecue for family and friends. He was a fair and honest man who could be stubborn at times, but loved his wife, family and grandchildren. He was a very generous man helping and assisting family and friends whenever he could. Steven was a softy when it came to the new cat who joined the household. He laughed at how the cat thought he was a dog, and would follow him around the house racing ahead to ambush him when he walked by.
Steven is predeceased by his grandparents: George and Amy Vanstone and Ethel and Tom Malley, Robert and Jocelyn McAllister, stepbrother, A. Kurt Kowbel, his uncles, John and Norman Vanstone, Raymond Smith, Joseph Malley, his dad Jasper Malley, stepdad Metro (Mac) Kowbel, his cousin Rodney Vanstone, and many other aunties and uncles and cousins. He is survived by his wife Peggy A. Malley, daughter Shonda (Steve) stepdaughter, Ashley Belanko (Eugene) grandchildren, Scott, Anaka, Shaylene, Ethan, Ayden, Nolan and Jorden, stepson, Andrew Mattson and partner, Faye. His mother Grace Kowbel and stepmother, Sharon Malley, sister Tammy (Brian), Kimberley (Roseline) Marreno and partner, Juanita, Kerry (Zora), Karl (Grace), Kevin (Lorraine), and Susan Kowbel, Rick and Sandy Tessier of Ontario, Rod and Carol Freeman of B.C. and many, many cousins, nieces and nephews. Our heartfelt thank you to the RCMP officers who were a great help, to the Campbell River Fire Dept. and the ambulance crews who tried so very hard to save him and to the doctors and nurses at the hospital who were so kind to us all. And a special thank you to Home Depot where Steven worked in the garden department and was so happy working there and for their kindness when told of his death.
Service to be held at Quinsam Crossing Hall, Friday, March 6th at 1:00 pm.