| Graduation Year | Class of 1980 |
| Date of Passing | Apr 02, 2019 |
| About | Following a hard-fought battle with cancer, Steven L. Thiesfeld passed away peacefully with his wife Betty by his side on April 2, 2019 at their home in Elma, Washington. Steve was 56. Steve was born on October 10, 1962 in Santa Ana, California as the second son of Glenn and Valerie Thiesfeld. Steve and his family moved to Yakima, Washington in 1971 where he attended school and graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1980. Steve knew from an early age that he was called to be a fish biologist and proudly earned both his Bachelor and Master Degrees in Fisheries Science from the University of Washington. (Go Dawgs!) Steve began his professional career as a research biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on Lake Billy Chinook in Central Oregon. He returned to Washington in 1999 to work for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife where he distinguished himself as the Puget Sound Recreational Fisheries Manager, the Region 6 Fish Program Manager, and most recently, the Inland Fish Program Manager. Throughout his life, whenever Steve was not working to preserve and protect natural resources, he could be found somewhere outdoors, with friends, attempting to harvest some of it. Steve found the ultimate companion for sharing his passion for harvesting when he met Betty Duncan in 2012 and they were married in 2016. In their too-short time together, they traversed thousands of miles harvesting more fish, game, shellfish and mushrooms than most people will in their lifetimes. In addition to his loving wife Betty and Boomer the cat, Steve is survived by both of his parents, Glenn and Valerie Thiesfeld of Yakima, WA, his brother David and wife Jamie Thiesfeld of LaGrande, OR, his brother Brian and wife Kristine Thiesfeld of Electric City, WA, eight aunts and uncles and a host of admiring friends and co-workers. Steve’s Celebration of Life will be held in Olympia, WA on April 20, 2019 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Appendix Cancer Research Foundation at www.ACPMP.org. Yakima Herald Republic |
