STEVEN CRAIG HOOD’S LIFE STORY

According to Penny’s warped memory

1950's

Steven Craig Hood was born to Kenneth and Delores Seip Hood on August 1, 1955 in Caldwell, Idaho. The couple and 8 year old Rodger and 6 year old Marilynn Kaye had just moved from the Nebraska/Wyoming area where Kenn had farmed with his family. Delores' parents had relocated to Wilder, ID earlier, which was the reason for choosing eastern Idaho. Steve was raised on a small farm in Kuna. Early on he helped with chores, which is what developed his strong work ethic that all of his bosses and co-workers always noticed in Steve. Chores included milking cows, gathering eggs, feeding livestock. Steve liked to brag that he was driving the truck at age 8 to and from various fields his dad was working in. Delores worked in town, so Steve and his dad usually prepared the family dinner, which explains why he was such an accomplished cook.

1960's

Steve attended the Kuna schools. His first school was a tiny building in the country. He had a bad experience with his first grade teacher. That was about all he would mention about his early school years. It seems all of his teachers were older. He was teased a lot because they would call him Marilynn, after having his sister 6 years earlier in class. During these years Steve developed life-long friendships. The most enduring one was with Pat Oliver. Steve did not really enjoy education until high school, where he became very talented in choral performance and sports. Large all through his life, Steve's strength and amazing speed caused him to be playing on the high school football team in 9^th grade. He lettered in football and in wrestling. As the school's Heavy Weight leader, Steve earned his way to district wrestling every year, and state at least once. The Kuna football team was so powerful that Steve enjoyed many victories, some over much larger schools. His gifted singing voice probably is what kept him in school – he loved choir. Kuna, although a small and poor district, was always hiring young teachers who seemed to moved on to bigger things. One particular young educator encouraged Steve to perform in musicals and at choral competitions. All through his twenties he was asked to sing at church, weddings and funerals quite often. Steve and Pat sang a duet at their 1973 graduation ceremony. One last outstanding experience from high school that Steve cherished was being Student Body President of Kuna High. He gained many leadership and administrative skills that year that he applied in his life's work and in years of church service. I have to add that the other thing Steve gained from being Pres. Was the ability to come up with many excuses to leave campus for “student body” tasks. I'm not sure he learned much more than that his senior year.

1970's

His teen years on the farm included increased chore responsibilities and a merger of Future Farmers of America (FFA) as part of the Kuna High extra curriculum. Steve was proud of his ability to raise hogs and spent a few summers at the Boise Fair showing his swine. During those years he was field boss to crews of hired teens to pick sweet corn and “top” seed corn. This was hard, hot work and Steve was noted for being a hard worker. As one of his hirees, I can attest that he was a born boss. Between checking on crews he also did custom tractor work for area farms and ran truck loads of sweet corn to Boise stores to sell. Steve did not know what having summer fun was unless it was to have a water fight in a ditch to cool off from 103⁰ heat.

Steve was called “Hugger” by classmates. Due to his wrestling holds, and to his ability to attract and hug the pretty girls. I think his most romantic relationships were with girls older than him, so when they went to college he tried dating classmates who were just friends. He claims he didn't date every girl in his small high school … only most of them.

This leads me to the story of how I entered his life. Steve loved it when someone would ask him how we met. His response was, “We met in bed”. That would get a shocked look from the others, and a laugh from him. That is pretty close to the truth... I was introduced to the Nampa First Baptist nursery as a newborn when he was 11 months old. We figure at some point we were near or in the same crib. And we have been in each other's life ever since. Growing up in towns over 15 miles apart, we were more like brother and sister. Same Sunday School class, same youth group, etc. Him and my brother, Robbie were hunting and fishing buddies, so Steve spent many Sunday afternoons ( yes, the Hood family did honor the Sabbath rest ) over at our house. But he was just another obnoxious boy to me. Then a few things happened. During my junior year I had asked the boy I had a huge crush on to take me to the Sadie Hawkins Dance – girl ask boy. About a week before the dance he turned me down. I was devastated. I think my mom suggested Steve as a back-up. He said “Sure”, but we both wish he had said “No”. The weekend of the dance Steve wrestled in a tournament and dislocated his shoulder. Being the man of integrity he was, he picked me up and suffered the evening at the dance at my school while in pain. I made fun of his dance style, not knowing he actually was an awesome dancer – just not with a dislocated shoulder. He took me home not speaking to me – and it stayed that way almost a year.

Steve bought a Honda motorcycle the next year after he graduated. He brought the cycle over and offered me a ride. Well, something special happened when I wrapped my arms around him and hugged Hugger close. I started having daydreams of his kisses and actually became shy around him ( an annoying behavior I had with all of the boys I liked ). The November of 1973 - my 1974 senior year - Steve asked me out. He took me to one of our football games, then we drove the 20 miles to Boise for a Pepsi. Back then gas was not an issue, nor was getting home early with a guy my parents loved as their own son. At Ann Morrison Park, I got my first kiss from Steve Hood, and enjoyed every one of them for 35 years!

Most of the year we dated Steve worked nights at the sugar factory. Most of our dates were going out for a Pepsi, then him taking a nap with his head in my lap before he had to go to work. Not very romantic, but we quickly fell in love.

Near that same park in Boise on June 13, 2005 he proposed to me at the old Boise Railroad Station sitting on a blanket overlooking the city lights. I don't think any of our parents were surprised. But my dad's response was so amusing that we talked about it often. When he asked for my hand in marriage, my dad took Steve into the living room and lectured him for what seemed like an hour on taking care of me, etc. In closing Mom and I laughed when we heard Dad say, “Well, if she's going to marry someone, it might as well be you”. The next 3 months were full of planning for our August 22, 1975 wedding. Steve claimed his dad kept him in the fields that day until about 4 pm when he finally asked permission to go take a shower and get ready for his 7 pm wedding. It was so hot that night that the pastor had a fan turned on behind Steve to keep him comfortable. Back then the ceremony wasn't a huge production, and neither of us remember many details. But we did honor and obey our vows to the letter. To spare you everything I would love to tell you about our early years together, I will just say that the Lord hand-picked a man who made me feel special almost every day after that.

Our first home was a single-wide 45 foot long old trailer in the middle of a corn field. During the year we were there our first child, Craig Caleb was born August 8, 1976. Dr. Clarence McIntyre, a church friend let Steve do the delivery! He was always proud of that. Even as a young daddy at age 20 Steve was a Deacon in our church and was known by almost every farmer in a 10 mile radius. Him and his dad expanded their custom farming jobs and almost daily went for coffee to BS at a local cafe'. Those years we were poor as mice, but too much in love to care. Special treats were Sunday dinners at one of the mom's homes or my parents treating us to a late Saturday night pizza. On September 7, 1978 Larissa Colleen was born. At that time we lived in a tiny 2 bedroom house that was so infested with mice that Steve once beheaded 3 of them just by opening a door quickly! By then he had purchased his first grill and we started to develop our team work of entertaining friends and family. The spring of 1979 Steve took a job in produce at Smith's Food King in Boise. He was now on the other end of selling sweet corn and loved it. He could not walk through any grocery store without critiquing the produce tables. The store chain was sold in 1980 and in May he took a job as Circulation Manager for the Lewiston Tribune. We moved to the pretty town of Moscow, Idaho. There we lived in a tiny apartment where children from other families would just walk right into our front room! The back yard was the size of a dog run, but we still managed to make a lot of memories as me and the little ones would go with Steve to the tiny north Idaho towns to try to find paper carriers. The job required taking calls 24/7 and most mornings Steve had to be up about 4 am to deliver papers on routes that did not have carriers. Needless to say he started looking for another job quickly, and by six months we were moving again.

A church friend, Linda Rodrigues and her husband, Ron had recently moved to Kennewick, WA to open a Buttreys grocery store. Ron hired Steve as assistant produce manager. Over the next 8 years Steve worked up to 2^nd assistant store manager. In Kennewick we first rented a two bedroom house not far from the store. Linda introduced us to the Church of God, which we have been members of since.

1980’s

We finally purchased our first home. It was the world’s smallest three story! The top floor was a converted attic bedroom, the main floor was a tiny kitchen, bath, 2 bedrooms, and small living room. The lower “floor” came later when Steve and some dear friends from church like Marc Rice and Gary Madsen helped him convert the garage into a family room. The whole house was 800 square feet! But we were proud of it. In fact, Steve and I were volunteer Youth Leaders a few of those years and we often had teens sitting on each other’s laps helping eat what little food we had in the house. It seems like the smaller the home, the more company you get!

Steve got involved as a volunteer fireman also with his good friend, Herb Woods. For four summers Steve fought grass fires more than we was home. In 1984 Ian Kenneth joined the family. I had been working part time as a traveling merchandiser, and also volunteering with Cub Scouts and Sunday School. With Steve already working terrible shifts to support all of us, he saw that I was unhappy as a housewife, so he encouraged me to start college! When Ian was a year old we both continued our busy schedules, but added Caleb’s soccer and my schooling to the mix! Looking back I have no idea where we got the energy to juggle everything. With Steve’s amazing help I had a perfect 4.0 from Columbia Basin College.

In 1988 Steve left Buttreys’ Foods and began as one of the Burrito Brothers for Tony’s Pizza Service. Steve and a man named Bear broke every sales record in the country for selling an ethnic food line. The line was added to the pizza trucks, so Steve then began to sell pizza in stores from middle Seattle to the Canadian border. He won regional and national sales awards and had found his niche as a great salesman. We were so very proud of him. During this time the kids were doing well in school, playing sports, and I had completed on my Bachelor’s Degree at University of Washington, and was teaching middle school science and health. We had moved from Kennewick to a rental duplex in Puyallup, WA, then a rental home in Everett, WA. And finally purchased a home in Everett on the same street as the rental.

We made the Edmonds Church of God our new church family, and the kids continued on through school.

1990’s

Our Tony’s / Red Baron Pizza years gave us many experiences we would not have otherwise afforded. A trip to Disney World, golfing tournaments, camping trips on the San Juans, fishing on yachts, NASCAR races, and private gazebos at air shows and boat races. Steve moved up to Sales Manager after four years on the truck, and successfully managed a multi-million dollar sales company for 8 years. In 1996 my whole family took a trip to Las Vegas, and three days after we returned my dad died. Steve was my strength through my grief. He immediately started giving my mom extra care and attention. The first Valentines Day she was without Dad, Steve drove all the way to Nampa to take her to a church Sweetheart Banquet. The man seemed to know just what others needed.

But just four months after Dad died, Steve had his first heart attack at age 41! It was slight, but caused him to have a stent implanted. The next 13 years his body would continue to weaken, needing two more stents, with doctors telling him there was nothing to prolong his life, but go out and just enjoy it. And that’s exactly what Steve always tried to do.

One year Steve’s sales bonus was enough to allow us to buy our dream home in the forest north of Everett, WA in 1998. Ian was immediately accepted at Lakewood Middle School and given the name “Tree” on his first day. Steve and I spent every free hour putting in a beautiful lawn, multiple flower gardens, removing tree stumps, building a deck for a hot tub, and even a water fall.

All good things come to an end – as did Steve’s management with Tony’s. He was replaced as manager when the company decided to replace many experienced people with cheaper, inexperienced ones. Steve was offered the job of Marketing and Promotions, which he stayed in for two years. The job involved traveling the western states with the Freschetta Van handing out pizza samples at large events. It sounds fun, but Steve got tired of traveling and being away from home. With Caleb and Larissa away at college, and me starting my high school teaching in Stanwood, WA, Steve walked away from Tony’s Pizza Service. Since his heart attack he was convinced that the company was trying to push him out because of his health. But Steve didn’t miss a day of work! He began working for Nelson Farms out of Burlington, WA the day after he left Tony’s.

Steve’s four years at Nelson’s were not happy ones. The owner had no scruples and Steve’s gentle spirit made him an easy mark to attack when the boss was angry. None of Steve’s sales skills were used, but he did use his knowledge of truck fleets to become expert in produce shipping around the country.

2000

The year 2000 was one of the worst years of my life. Steve’s job at Nelsons was affecting his health, my mom died from Leukemia, Larissa quit college, and I was working 12 hour days. But our love kept us going. It took a year, but Steve finally found a job that would get him out of the oppression of Nelson Farms. It was in a town called Walla Walla, WA. Somewhere to the east, and where not many of our friends had ever traveled to before. We prayed about it, and decided God would help us make a home there as we had everywhere else we’ve lived.

Again, without missing a day of work Steve started his job in June of 2004 and I stayed behind to sell the house, which was no easy task. I joined him in August after he found our beautiful new home in College Place, WA, just out of Walla Walla. He was so proud of that house. The realtor was not used to a man house hunting alone, so to ease her conscience the contract actually said “contingent on wife liking the house”. And the wife did!

That November we gained a son-in-law, James Lambert. Steve considered James another son who he wanted to share all of his knowledge with. Larissa and I often laughed as Steve talked to James by the hour.

Steve enjoyed his work with Keystone Fruit Marketing. The five years he worked there he saw two managers leave guilty of embezzlement. Steve was the only employee who stayed the whole span of time. Again, his management and sales skills were overlooked, but he was too humble to push for the open management or sales positions. I just wanted him happy and healthy more than recapturing the honors of the past.

In 2005 Steve and I gave each other a trip to England and Scotland for our 30^th anniversary. It was so very special, and we shared it with Pat and Darla Oliver. That same year we gained Meagan Kretchmer as a daughter-in-law. The family was growing quickly.

Our first Grand Toy, Alleeya Joy Lambert was born in 2006. Steve and I both got to witness her birth, something special to both of us. The next spring Elle was born to CC and Meagan.

In 2007 Steve and his siblings spent most of the year helping their parents sell their home and move into assisted living. This was stressful and exhausting work for Steve, but he stepped up to see it through. It was also the year our son, Caleb almost died from Crohn’s Disease.

In 2008 Jairus Stephen Matthew Lambert joined the clan, and in September 2009 Steve met Caleb's second child, Brody Benjamin Hood only once.

We got involved with the Church of God in Walla Walla, where Steve’s strength of character, spiritual leadership, and gift of wisdom were recognized. He found himself an Elder, just like in every other church we ever attended! The final months of his life Steve was trying desperately to help this church through difficult times.

Yet even as he was getting weaker, Steve wanted to learn how to fly fish and asked me to join him. We only got to go out four times, but we were like kids again sitting in the tent at night giggling and trying to cast into the wind on an October morning. How many can say their last days with their companion were filled with such richness?

I suppose things like that are the bold print of a life. A man who was sought for advice, help, friendship, and leadership define my Steve. A husband who knew how to love, respect, support, and honor. A dad who could tease, teach, train, and hand out money. A son who remembered to call. A brother who cherished family. A friend who could laugh, repair, open his home, and hug.

I wish I could write about every moment of this precious life. But it would be more for my enjoyment than yours. I am so very blessed to have been given this man to share life with.

I thank you for reading this testimony to Steve.

If you wish to share any memories, please post them to this blog.

May God bless you with someone to love so deeply that it hurts this much when they leave!

Love, Penny

Labels: Steve's Life Story

My sweetie for life.

Posted by Pop Pop & GMa Hood at 8:43 PM 0 comments

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