The Family, 2005, Paul, Jody (& Drew), Alex, Grandma Karen, Grandpa Steve (& Alivia), Jeremy, (& Dawson) & Lindy
.... Opps, Ashlynn, age 2 crawled out of the photo!
Steve was born in Louisiana in 1951. He
grew up in the small town of Greenwood. Steve credits his
grandmother and his aunt for inspiring his love for history. He
says that he learned to read by finding graves in old cemeteries for
them. He attended college at Louisiana State University. In 1976
he moved to Oregon and began researching the history of his adopted
home.
Steve has worked in the
mental health field for over twenty years. In that time he has worked
with many people who were "downsized" from out of state
mental hospitals. He has worked with many different groups
of people helping them to overcome their disabling conditions
and have better lives. Opal Whiteley who was locked
away for almost 50 years was the type of person he could have helped leave
the hospital - with support. A large part of his dedication comes from
having family members with mental health problems. Steve created the
Opal Whiteley Memorial in Cottage Grove, Oregon which has educated
hundreds of people about mental health issues.
Steve is an avid outdoorsman and hiker. He has
also
worked logger and a gandydancer on the railroad (when he was a lot
younger!) He
is married to Karen Williamson, a pubic school music teacher. They have
two married children and four grandchildren (photo) Steve &
Karen met on Cerro Gordo Mountain in 1976. They were each attending a
workshop on building a progressive community in rural areas.
In addition to Opal Whiteley, Steve is also known for documenting the forgotten history of Asians in early Marcola. Oregon. Opal lived in the Marcola area as a small child. One of his articles is about the shocking bombing of a school named Ping Yang. You can read about these interesting stories at www.asianoregon.org
NOTE:
Steve also has a rare and painful leg condition - Tarsal Tunnel
Syndrome. It is similar to Carpal Tunnel in the hands, but it is much
harder to treat and more painful. It was caused by his many years
hiking and working in the woods. Steve also has Neuropathy and
advocates for patients with chronic pain conditions.
If you or someone you love has foot pain or difficulty walking, check out his web site.