Stephen Gregory LeMar

Stephen Gregory LeMar was born on June 18, 1948, in Fort Benning Georgia, to Mary Ellen and Jack LeMar. Jack and Mary Ellen had five children together: Jackie (who died of SIDS), Stephen, Geoffrey, Cindy and Rick. Steve passed peacefully in his sleep on the night of Friday September 5th .

As a child of Military parents, Steve lived in many places during his youth including, Georgia, Japan, Germany, Tennessee and Kansas. Upon the divorce of his parents, his mother moved the children to Boise Idaho, where she had begun her Military career and fallen in love with the mountains. As a young adventurous spirit, Steve was expecting to become a logger and was disappointed to discover that Boise was not the logging town he had imagined, and that there were no jobs available for 12-year-olds.

In Boise, as a single mother with four young children, Mary Ellen worked hard to make ends meet. The LeMar’s were known for raising livestock and growing crops in the backyard of their suburban home. As the oldest child, Steve took the role of his mother’s right-hand man, helping his siblings along and doing whatever was needed to make sure his family was taken care of. He graduated from Borah High School in 1966.

Although he had a high selective service number and was unlikely to be drafted, Steve enlisted in the Army in 1967. He served a tour in Vietnam beginning in May 1968. Originally attached to an infantry unit, he had always been fascinated with aviation and was able to shift to a role as a door gunner aboard Huey helicopters, where he flew with the 190th A.H.C. Spartans. His experience in Vietnam was one of the most influential periods of his life. While he was involved in many combat situations (receiving multiple air medals), what seemed to resonate the most as years went on was the profound trust and devotion he shared with his fellow soldiers. He often grew teary-eyed when recounting how a maneuver would be made and without knowing why, each Huey in formation would fall in line and trust that there was a reason for the deviation, without question. Steve rose to Crew Chief and was Airborne as well. After serving in Vietnam he was stationed in Germany, his rank was Sergeant E5, and he remained active in the Idaho National Guard for several years.

After his honorable discharge, Steve enrolled at Boise State University, where he joined the Intercollegiate Knights fraternity and took part in numerous social events and campus fundraisers. He earned a degree in English Literature, which sparked a lifelong love of poetry and literature. He often read and discussed “high” and “low” poetry and loved to reflect on the works of writers such as Mark Twain and T.S. Eliot.

In 1982 Steve met Audrey Hill Seever, and soon after built a relationship with her two young children, Tyler (Ty) and Benjamin (Ben), beginning a new chapter in his life as a family man. Before long, they welcomed Nathan (Nate) and then Chelsea, and the family embarked on many adventures—camping, skiing, and traveling in their motorhome. Steve even bought a burro the family named Bingo, delighting the children with rides around the family property.

In 1988 the family moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where Steve worked in RV and later medical device sales. At the age of 44, inspired by a family friend, he enrolled in PA school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Though life brought changes and Steve and Audrey went their separate ways, they remained devoted to raising Nate and Chelsea together. That same year, Steve graduated from PA school in 1995 and began a new chapter in his profession and in life.

Steve’s spirit of adventure, combined with his insatiable love of learning, led him down countless interesting paths. The pace at which he embraced new hobbies and pursuits never slowed with age. Over the years he took on skydiving, rock climbing in his 60s, cycling in his mid-60s, riding in more than ten Ragbrai’s across Iowa—the last at age 75. He regularly gave bicycles away to friends and family, encouraging them to start riding. In his mid-70s he took up kayaking, challenging himself with rigorous and risky open-ocean courses. He traveled widely, enjoyed country dancing, and, though he hated it, somehow remained in a bowling league for several years. Through these adventures he wove himself into a wide web of friendships, seemingly meeting a new friend on every outing. His lifelong pursuit of the road less traveled, guided by curiosity, reminds us that while we all age, we never have to grow old.

Steve will be remembered by his friends as kind, fun-loving, and generous, with a quick wit and an uncommon sense of humor. He had a saying or adage for almost any situation, each one perfectly capturing the moment. It was not uncommon for him to open his home to those going through difficult times, offering not just a roof but a friend to talk to.

Despite leading such a colorful life, his greatest devotion was to his children. He remained a nurturing and supportive presence into their adulthood, spending countless hours on the phone providing thoughtful counsel, pulling from his rich life experience to offer meaningful advice along with constant and relentless encouragement. He fully enjoyed meeting his adult children where they were in their lives. Living in different parts of the country he traveled frequently to be with his children and grandchildren. Nate started a family and Steve’s imaginative personality made him the perfect playmate to his young granddaughters, Lucy and Charlotte (Charlie). He was thrilled to buy them bikes and join them on rides, eagerly participating in their food experiments, making a mess and giggling alongside them. Chelsea was his adventure partner, with trips to London, Paris, Italy, New York, Idaho and more recently, she accompanied him on the Tour de Nebraska and was his ground crew for the MR340, a kayak race down the Missouri river.

Steve lived a beautiful life, filled with adventure, generosity, and humor, leaving behind a legacy of love and laughter. To those who knew him, he was a reminder that each day is an opportunity to let curiosity lead you toward new and different experiences. His spirit will live on in the hearts of his family and the many friends whose lives he touched.Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Mary Ellen and Jack LeMar; and his brothers, Jackie and Diamond.

He is survived by his son, Nate LeMar; his daughter, Chelsea LeMar; and his granddaughters, Lucy and Charlie. He is also survived by his sister, Cindy LeMar and his brother, Rick LeMar (Melissa); his half brothers Bernd LeMar and Eric LeMar, his stepsons, Ben and Ty (Leah) Seever; his nieces and nephews, Samuel, Ryan, Danielle, Rachel, and Jacob; and by countless friends.

Stephen's wishes were to have all donated directed to the Open Door Mission, Salvation Army, and Doctors Without Borders.