Steve John Catterall

Steve Catterall 4/1/1950- - 3/1/2018 Steve Catterall, age 67, passed away at his home in Chico, California on March 01, 2018. Steve was born April 01, 1950 in San Francisco, California to Evelyn Anson Cash and Jerrald Catterall. Steve graduated Red Bluff High School in 1968 and served in the Navy for three years. Steve received an Honorable Discharge in 1972. Steve was an entrepreneur at heart, and this led him to create two of Chico's most loved businesses. While using the crepe making skills he learned in Santa Cruz and honed at crafts fairs throughout California, plus a lot of bravado, he opened the Kramore Inn in 1976. His future wife and lifelong love, Lisa applied for a job three weeks later. The restaurant was an instant success. A year later, now fully understanding the work of a Restaurateur, he sold it to go explore the world. Setting off on this grand adventure, he landed a job as a crew member on a 28 ft Trimaran and set sail from Lahaina, Maui for Tahiti. During this month on the open ocean, he found his calling as a gemologist as well as realized that he wanted his love by his side for the life journey ahead. Returning to Chico while Lisa attended Nursing school, he began his study of gemology. When she graduated they sold everything and moved to St Thomas, United States Virgin Islands. This adventure ended abruptly with a robbery and being flat broke, they got back to the mainland where he proposed in the Miami Airport because "We have nowhere to go from here but up!" Steve married Lisa Alibrio on November 02, 1979. They moved to Sacramento in 1980 where he worked at Dempsey & Sons Jewelers, and then in support of his wife's career, he moved to Tucson, Arizona. While she attended graduate school at the University of Arizona, Steve supported wholeheartedly Lisa's calling to Midwifery, and believed that the human purpose was to help others. His life as a midwife's husband was a source of pride and he would joke "I get 'em married and she delivers the babies - hopefully in that order!" Steve graduated from the Gemological Institute of America and became a Certified Gemologist in 1982. Back in Chico in 1983, he got a position at Clifford's Jewelry, learning the business from one of his mentors- Charlie Hicks. Inspired to open his own store, he launched Olde Gold Estate Jewelry in April 1988, enjoying his ability to give people fine gemstones and beautiful antiques. Being the flirt that he was, he loved putting a necklace around a woman's neck and, eyes twinkling, telling her 'make a wish' as he adjusted the clasp. Wanting to give back and pay it forward to his beloved community of Chico, he began his own philanthropy work by making donations to many charitable organizations. The tops on his list were places that helped people in need such as Catalyst and the Salvation Army, as well as support for animals at the Butte County Humane society. He never failed to help the homeless and would often take someone in to buy them a meal. Honoring his own father, he joined the Masonic Lodge in 1988 after researching the many charitable good works they provided. He worked his way up to become Master of the Lodge three times in 1996, 2014 and 2015. In 1991 he joined the Scottish Rite, volunteering to drive ill children to the Shiners hospital in Sacramento on a regular basis. He could always get a smile from a wheelchair bound person with the line "You got a license to drive that thing?" He was in the Chico Noon Exchange Club and the Chico High 12, and sat on the board of the Chico Museum. Family was so important to Steve and he took great pride in his daughter Chelsea, with her career as a nurse and his son Seth who is a Chef in Portland, Oregon. He closed his shop on Mondays because he had a standing date to take his mother to lunch and a movie that he would not miss. His sister Dianne and his brother Mark were his lifelong buddies. All the nieces and nephews looked to "Uncle Stinkel" for both wisdom and humor. Two pieces of wisdom stand out when you think of Steve. "There are some mistakes you don't want to make once" and "You don't really know what you can do until you have to". His second family was the people he worked with at his shop. Towards the end of his life, Steve didn't want to travel anymore. All he wanted to do was go to work each day to tell the crew how glad he was to have them in his life. Sports and Exercise were two of his passions - Baseball season was long, whether they won or lost, it was "How about them Giants?!" He was a 49er faithful, cheering them on, beginning at Kezar through Candlestick to Levi Stadium, - we wear Red and Gold. He became a football referee and worked for the Northern California Football Officials Association refereeing high school games every Friday night. When one of his 49er idols moved to town and opened the Chico Sports Club, Steve became a daily morning regular for his workouts and would leave the stationary bicycles with a "go get 'em Tiger!" to whomever he was working out next to. A great many friends were made that way. He took great pride in running 13 half marathons and climbing Mt Shasta three times. Steve loved to travel and ride his BMW motorcycles. He even put his tiny dog Peanut in a front pack so she could go with him. After getting his diagnosis, he and Lisa made one last trip to celebrate their 40th anniversary. They cruised the Adriatic to ancient towns by bright blue seas before starting treatment at Stanford, with the determination to walk his daughter down the aisle. Back in Chico when friends would ask how he was doing he would smile wide and simply say "you know?, I'm in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in!". In his final days he would wiggle those famous eyebrows to get a giggle form those he loved. He is survived by his wife Lisa, his children Chelsea and Seth, his mother Evelyn and his sister Dianne and more extended family and friends then anyone could hope for. Memorial Services will be held at the Chico Masonic Hall located at 1110 W. East Ave, Chico, CA on Sunday, March 11th at 11:00 am with a Celebration of Life immediately following. Come share stories and memories of the man that we all knew and loved. In lieu of flowers, the Catterall family asks that you donate generously to Chico Catalyst and the Butte Humane Society. Send donations to: Butte Humane Society 2580 Fair St, Chico CA 95925 Catalyst: PO Box 4184, Chico, Ca 95927 Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.brusiefh.com To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Steve Catterall, please visit our sympathy store.