Deceased Classmate: Stephen Cruikshank
Date Of Birth: 5 -5-1951
Date Deceased: 4-28-2018
Age at Death: 66
Cause of Death: Aneurysm
Classmate City: Glendale
Classmate State: AZ
Classmate Country: USA
Was a Veteran: No
Survived By: Wife, Linda Mom, Joyce Brother, Alan Niece, Holly Nephew, Brent
Steve was an accomplished professional drummer, a Senior Collateral Analyst for Wells Fargo, and an outstanding husband for 42 years. He was in excellent health, exercised his whole life, ate clean, and was a generous, loving soul which made it a complete shock for him to pass in one minute Steve is sorely missed by myself and others who knew him.
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Carol Hazelett
DEAR LINDA, (I DON'T KNOW YOU.) I AM SO SORRY FOR YOUR RECENT LOSS OF STEVE. HE WAS ALWAYS SO NICE TO ALL. A VERY GENTLE SOUL. I DID NOT KNOW HIM WELL BUT REMEMBER HIM IN THE HALLWAYS AND I THINK AT SCHOOL EVENTS. I JUST LOST MY DEAR MOTHER ABOUT THE SAME TIME BUT SHE WAS A HEALTHY 103 YEAR OLD I TOOK CARE OF THE LAST 7 YEARS. WE HAD GREAT TIMES TOGEHTER BUT SOMETIMES GOING FASTER MIGHT BE EASIER.... BUT NOT REALLY....SO I DO HOPE YOU ARE JUST CONTINUING ON WITH GOOD SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS & FAMILY. REGARDS, CAROL HAZELETT.
James Munsil
Steve and his brother Alan were 2 of my brother and mines closest friends from first grade at Encanto through high school. Steve was one of the people I most wanted to visit with over past good times. Riding the bus downtown to the movies at the Fox and Vista theaters, adventures in the canals down 19th Avenue, playing board games and exchanging comic books.
Our adventures weren’t written like “The Hardy Boys”. Our families were an Arizona version of “Leave It To Beaver” without TV coverage. We all share friendships as these and for Steve and others past I share from our days in chorus with a change in the last line from “ The Streets of Laredo”.
We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly,
And bitterly wept as we bore him along.
For we loved our comrade, so brave, Young and handsome.
We all loved our comrade, and share in his song.
Michael Cantor
Good memories of Jim. That keeps him alive in some ways and helps deal with his loss. Glad to hear he kept up with his drumming that I remember from West. Mike Cantor
Ginni Weaver (Lionberger)
Jim---your shared memories of life with the Cruikshank brothers was lovely. I was so shocked when Charlie Cross told me of Steve's passing. I hope all is well in your liife and that you will come to the 50th. It would be great to see you! Ginni
Patricia Navage (Whitney)
Linda, I was so sorry to see that Steve had passed. He was my biggest crush in high school. Spent many times at Legend City when he played there in the summers. I saw him again in the early 70's (I think '72 or '73) when he was playing for a singer (can't remember her name) at one of the Scottsdale hotels. He was such a kind and gentle person. You are so lucky to have had so many years with him.
Mary Haire (Chard)
Oh, where to begin. I can still hear his recorded drum solos from our teen years. We dated in our senior year of high school, worked together at Legend City and shared a wonderful black great Dane puppy that we”won” at a dog show (not sure anyone believed our story.) Throughout my freshman year at ASU Steve would bring Sam, the puppy, to my dorm for visits. Steve was supposed to raise him but his mom’s cock-a-poo would not share her home, so Sam became my mom’s dog. Sam never forgot him and when Steve came to visit him 3 years later, Sam nearly tore the fence down in his happiness to see his “human”. Steve and I went our separate ways at the end of my freshman year but kept in touch occasionally until early 1980’s. My husband and I along with my brother and sister-in-law went to hear him play, backing up the great vocals of his future wife, Linda. I attended their wedding in Glendale. As my eldest son became interested in music he would play some new band for me to hear and wait for my appraisal of the drummer, which of course was always - “he isn’t as good as (my memories told me) my wonderfully talented old boyfriend.” Last June, my son invited me to visit him in Ventura, California and then found that there was to be a jazz concert in Ojai featuring a drummer that he thought would finally meet my standards. Yes, this man was absolutely incredible on that drum set! As I say there listening and thinking of my friend, his great sense of humor and all the good times we shared, little did I know that he was gone! Linda, you and Steve were so blessed to share so many years. He will be missed at this reunion but will be a presence felt by many of us there.
Robert Hess
I went to a drum recital that Steve did and was totally blown away at his skill. I played first violin in the orchestra and knew that he did well there, but had never heard him solo before. Sad to hear someone with so much talent and my age passing away.
Michael Cantor
LINDA:
It is great to read all the wonderful comments from Steve's fellow classmates.
I hope it is OK to ask, but through Steve and your music, did you keep in touch with Bill Blackwell (trumpet) or
Jim Foley (many insturments). We are trying to find them. Maybe they can play in the little band we are trying to put together for the reunion. Maybe you would want to sing with the chorus. They are doing the West Fight Song and Alma Matre. Mike Cantor. Class of 69. mLcantor16@aol.com