STEPHEN WILLIAM MEYER | May 20, 1954 – May 3, 2026

Steve unexpectedly and peacefully died while sitting on the back porch of the home he built with his wife, Pam. It was a beautiful day and he was reading a book passage about voyages by a composer he loved. Steve had been bravely recovering from a stroke he had experienced 2 years previously. Though he could no longer play his beloved acoustic bass, he transferred his passion for music to practicing on an electric piano for hours every day.

Steve was born in Chicago to Charles and Susanna Meyer. He graduated from DePaul University with a degree in music. His life was changed by a trip to the west coast in 1977, and he eventually met his first wife Claire Rousseau in San Francisco, where they both delivered singing telegrams. Eventually they moved to Seattle, where they divorced but remained friends.

Steve met his current wife, Pam Houghton, when she brought a puppy to the veterinary hospital where he was the onsite emergency vet tech. His kindness then was a hallmark of who he was. They eventually lived together, bought property on Vashon in 1986, and married in 1987.

Together they built a log house by hand, taking 4 years to finish it and building an incredible loving bond in the process. Meanwhile, Steve worked in the biotech industry while Pam built her naturopathic practice. When Steve retired due to industry cutbacks, he volunteered at Burn Design Lab and continued to pursue music vigorously. He performed with various musicians including Portage Fill, and most recently, Croaker, but his greatest delight was playing with Jack Barbash, his musical soulmate.

Steve leaves behind his wife, Pam, three brothers, Mike, Rick and Dan, two nieces, three nephews, dozens of cousins and many dear friends. His quiet kindness, keen intellect, generosity and bravery will be remembered by all who knew and loved him. Perhaps somewhere, he and Jack are making music in the stars.