Obituary
The Life of Steve St. John:
A Son's Perspective
Steve St. John was born August 2, 1951 to Bob and Martha St. John. He was the second of four children. By his account, life at home could be Hell. His father would be his lifelong measure of how not to raise a family, the backbone to his studies in overcoming trauma and the foundation to his studies in Christian Mysticism. Childhood and adolescence was difficult and full of discord, but it was here he developed his toughness, work ethic and sense of humor. Steve was a cosmic prankster, and his love of fart-making tools allowed him to constantly embarrass his wife and simultaneously brighten the lives of his three sons. His wife’s embarrassment would eventually lessen, but the joy of public pseudo-flatulence would only grow for him and his children.
In his late teens, Steve decided he wanted to enter the ministry. He enrolled in seminary school, and it was there he met Rebecca Kellogg, his future wife. He graduated, started a family and entered the nomadic life of a Methodist minister. This calling brought him and his family to the smallest towns and dustiest stretches of Nebraska, Indiana and Kansas county roads. Throughout this time, Crohn's Disease would take its toll on him with long bouts of debilitating pain. During this dark time, he would lose his way and find his purpose.
With the debilitating pain of Crohn's Disease came the destructive pain of addiction to prescription pain medication—and through that addiction he and his family suffered the horrors of rock bottom. Yet, it was there he found redemption. He went to treatment, discovered Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous and went on to help hundreds of addicts find their way back to wholeness and sobriety. He was 35-years sober at the time of his passing.
Steve continued his church ministry in the Midwest until 1994, when he moved to Wenatchee to join his family who had moved there in 1992. As he found his way in the West he discovered he could carry the flame apart from the church, and he worked extensively in other areas of social work. He utilized his grace and understanding to help all classes of people–especially those on the fringes of society suffering from mental illness and addiction. Nobody was below him and nobody was above him. There were just people in need.
Steve was forced to retire early with a diagnosis of mouth and throat cancer that radiation, chemotherapy and multiple surgeries could not fix. He was still planning his future as the disease slowly took his strength, his body and his ability to talk and eat. He died at home on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 as Castle Rock glowed in the early morning and the rising sun shone through his bedroom window. Steve’s sons and grandchildren held his hands in this sacred space as he passed into the great mystery.
Steve was a known bibliophile, lover of handmade knives and muzzleloaders, dichotomous street fighter and peace seeker who camped alone in the wilderness, prankster, father, son, brother, husband, grandfather, student and teacher who loved to watch Star Wars with his kids and grandkids, study the mystics, stare into the fire and listen to the creek. Two weeks before his passing, after a sunny drive to Leavenworth with his son, Wesley, he was still buying books to add to his collection and looking for a bag of popcorn to bring back to his grandson, Seth. He is loved and will be missed.
Steve is survived by his three children, Jacob (KC) St. John, Wesley (Jodi) St. John and Jesse St. John; his five grandchildren, Kaia, Silas, Bella, Clover, and Seth; as well as his sister, Tricia St. John; brothers, Thomas St. John and Ron St. John; various cousins; and his former wife and mother of his sons, Rebecca St. John-Bassett. Steve was preceded in death by his mother, Martha St. John and his father, Bob St. John.
Steve St. John’s service will be held at the IOOF Hall, 601 N. Chelan Ave., on Saturday, April 27th at 1 P.M., officiated by Jamie Wilhite, and will be followed by a reception at the same address.