Stephanie Sprinkle

My first memory of Steve Kemper is 6th Grade at Meridian Elementary. In short order he and I became the tetherball champions. We were terrible for taking up the whole recess with one game, leaving the 4th and 5th graders standing in line for 15 minutes. Ok, we knew it was selfish but eventually guilt set in – and one or the other of us would grudgingly sacrifice the win to let the next hopeful play. He showed no mercy.
He also had a talent for making you laugh. Once at the pipe band practice at Greg Quinlan’s, Steve was making faces, got me going, and we all lost it. So much for my piping career. Ken Oswell was really ticked but we didn’t care much.
Steve was always popular with the girls, reports had him going steady as early as sixth grade and I accused him of being a playboy. I remember a day at Shorecrest when he was at the piano with a cluster of girls around him. Nothing had changed, or so I thought, especially how naive I could be – which I related to him later and we had a good laugh. He remembered the playboy remark.
The first time I saw him after graduation was in May of 1983 or ‘84. I was working downtown. He didn’t recognize me but, although he was much taller, I recognized him. He ordered canvas panels as sound absorbers so his neighbors wouldn’t be bothered by his playing. Bothered?
He and his wife and I went to lunch a few days later and then he invited me to his birthday party. I was late but his brother, Jeff, was still there and the three of us had a great visit. Steve had wonderful funny stories. He had lived in New England. He had plans to play with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
The next time I heard about Steve was when my mom called to tell me his obituary was in the paper. He’d been very straightforward about his lifestyle so this wasn’t unexpected but was still sad. Jeff had moved to New England. I called. Steve had moved from here to Alaska and worked in construction. He never made it to London. He was in New York when he got really sick and died of pneumonia as a complication of AIDS.
Steve could be extremely self-absorbed but was also incredibly generous and the consummate entertainer. I could sure go for one of his funny stories.