Steven Thomas Fawcett, 74

Steven Thomas Fawcett passed away Oct. 5, 2018, peacefully, at age 74, with his loving family beside him. He joins the rest of his kin, brothers David and Matthew, his mom Gloria, and father Ray.

He was born on March 27, 1944, in Covina, California. Cerebral palsy limited the use of his right side motor skills and affected his cognition but his ability to navigate life with the hand he was dealt at birth amazed his family and friends. Some days you’d never guess it ... simple wisdom poured from this man. Living with limited physical and cognitive ability was only a minor setback.

He married Patty in 1975 and together they had a unique partnership. The two of them have been local characters around Whitefish since 1986, where their daily outings often involved lengthy “sits” north of the viaduct, drinking big-gulps of diet coke and watching train cars get shuffled around the yard.

In addition to his fascination with locomotives, Steve was passionate about feats of engineering, heavy machinery, mowing large patches of lawn, and gardening. He was a curious gardener and tried for almost four decades to get walnuts and citruses to grow outdoors in Northwest Montana, and though not a single one has survived, his resilience, determination and faith have been humbling.

His sense of humor was always at the ready as was his huge, compassionate heart. When his loved ones suffered, he always knew what to say and was the first to reach out his hand and lead you through prayer. He was at times crabby and stubborn and had a temper. He was also warm and empathetic and when he laughed went, “Hee hee hee.”

He will be missed by his wife Patty, sisters-in-law Connie and Lynn Fawcett, nephews Jason and Zac Fawcett, and nieces Jenny and Emma Fawcett.

Memorial services will take place at 2 p.m. on Nov. 3 at the Whitefish Community Center.