Steve Flynn Obituary

Stephen T. Flynn passed away on Thursday, January 10, 2013 at the age of 74 following a courageous battle with Alzheimer's Disease.

Born on May 31, 1938 in San Francisco, Calif. to Leo and Ethel Flynn, Steve was truly one of a kind. After graduating Mountain View High School in Los Altos, Calif. in 1957, Steve was recruited to play basketball at Oregon State University under coaches Slats Gill and Paul Valenti. Unaware of how different the weather was in Corvallis, Steve arrived on campus without a coat and described his first year on campus as the coldest and wettest of his life! He always made the best of any situation, and the friendships he made on the Beaver basketball team and as a Beta Theta Phi fraternity member at OSU would stay with him for the rest of his life.

After graduating in 1961, Steve joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He was stationed at Quantico in Virginia where he continued to play basketball on the Quantico basketball team. From 1966-1967 he served in Vietnam as captain and commander of an armored tank division, earning the Bronze Star with a V for valor, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. After leaving the Marine Corps Steve completed his master's degree at OSU on the GI Bill. He went on to become the Director of Financial Aid and eventually the Dean of Students at Southern Oregon University. He was a beloved figure on campus, admired by students, faculty, and administrators alike. An avid runner who finished many marathons including the New York City Marathon in 2002, he was a fixture at the Medford Pear Blossom and Ashland 4th of July runs. He will be remembered for his love of a good time with friends and family, his quick wit and easy-going manner, his ability to coin a lasting nickname or funny phrase at a moments' notice and above all, his loyalty and love for his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife Karen, his brother Leo and sister Maureen, his sons Stephen Jr. and Kevin (Kate), his daughters, Kelly (Drew Erickson), Heather (Mike Brody), and Erin (Mike Bessette), and his 10 grandchildren, Mara, Kayley, Kye, Tosh, Jackson, Flynn, Liam, Sage, Ashe, and Gemma.

A celebration of life and open house will be held in Steve's honor from 1-4 p.m. at the Community Center in Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon on Sunday, February 24, 2013.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.