| Graduation Year | Class of 1966 |
| Date of Passing | Jun 25, 2021 |
| About | Brookside Funeral Home & Crematory Steven Lee Berreman, age 73, passed away on Friday, June 25, 2021. He was a courageous warrior in his battle with cancer and passed peacefully in his home surrounded by loved ones. Steve was born on February 6, 1948 at St. Elizabeth hospital in Yakima, Washington. He was the fourth child of Robert and Shirley Berreman and joined a bustling family of two older brothers, Richard (Dick) and Mike, and an older sister, Beverly. Steve was raised in Union Gap. He attended Union Gap grade school and then attended Eisenhower. He told stories of riding his horse throughout Union Gap, those were the days of endless adventures and less supervision! He spent many days working in the pea harvest in Lewiston, Idaho driving a combine and harvesting with his dad. There may have been a time or two when he admittedly dozed off while driving the tractor. After graduating from Eisenhower in 1966, Steve attended YVCC before enlisting in the Army for the Vietnam War. He went to Vietnam in 1969 and was in the 9th Infantry of Riverine Forces. He spoke fondly of his time in Vietnam, particularly emphasizing how interacting with the children helped him get through his time there. He was known as “Preacher” by his fellow servicemen as he started each day with prayer and reading a scripture. Amazingly, that company never lost a soldier while Steve was with them. After returning from Vietnam, Steve continued to serve in the National Guard and the Army Reserves until he retired as Master Sergeant. In 1970, Steve went back to YVCC and finished his AA. However, this was really the beginning of when he discovered his true passion, flying. Steve took his first plane ride with a friend of the family and was hooked. He went on to get his private and commercial pilot’s license. He flew for Morton Supply in the early 1970s. He told a story near his passing with a twinkle in his eye about flying to Lewiston with his sister and may have returned the plane with some pea vines mysteriously hanging from the tires. Steve’s adventurous spirit led to many occupations over the years, including truck driving for UPS, Darigold, Silver Eagle, and Oak Harbor. The only job he wasn’t entirely successful with was the UPS job because it took him too long to deliver due to him chatting with everyone he delivered to! After retiring from truck driving, he did maintenance for Red Cross and the Selah School District. Steve met the love of his life, Becky Stephens, when Becky was a little girl and Steve was friends with her uncle. Who knew at that time that they would end up marrying down the road and spending almost 49 wonderful years married together? After returning from Vietnam in 1970, Steve reconnected with Becky. They were married on September 1, 1972 and started their life together in a little green house in Yakima, where they welcomed their first son, Jason in 1975. They then built their first home together in Selah where their second son, Jeff, was born the day after Becky helped lift in the living room window in 1977. Their final child, Jennifer, was born a few weeks before Mt. St. Helens blew in 1980. A decade later, they built their final home with their family and continue to reside there making, Selah their home. Aside from his love for the Lord, flying was a passion of Steve’s from the first time he flew! He owned several airplanes and was fortunate enough to rebuild one of his favorites, a Kitfox. He liked buying planes, flying planes, working on planes, making friends with people that owned planes, and talking to anyone about planes. In fact, one of his last t-shirts said: WARNING I like to talk about FLYING! It was his wish to make a final flight in his Kitfox that had just gotten finished. Weeks before he passed, he was able to fly in the Kitfox with his son Jeff, while Becky, Jason, and Jennifer got to fly next to him in another plane. It was a special experience for the whole family. Steve is survived by his loving wife Becky (Stephens), sons Jason (Lauri), Jeff (Mindy), and daughter Jennifer (Jared) Mooney. He was also blessed with five grandchildren: Cameron (21), Kyle (19), Devin (17), Taylor (15), and J Luke (9). Also survived by his sister Bev Fickel, brother Mike (Barbra) Berreman, special mother-in-law Arlene (Grammy), numerous nieces and nephews, and their beloved dog/sidekick Dixie. He was preceded in death by his parents Robert and Shirley (Foy), brother Richard, and infant son Johnny. Steve’s Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, July 9th at 3:00 pm at Selah Covenant Church. In lieu of flowers, please consider donation to the American Cancer Society and sent in care of Brookside Funeral Home (PO Box 1267, Moxee, WA 98936) who is caring for the family. Memories and condolences can be shared at www.brooksidefuneral.com. The family would like to extend their gratitude to his amazing doctors and nurses at UW Medical Center, in particular Dr. Lee, Katie and Sierra, Dr. Obulareddy at North Star, and the amazing hospice caregivers. Steve’s philosophy was all people are friends he hasn’t met yet! |
