HIGH SCHOOL YEARS - Steve was in the B Club, the Key Club, and the Ski Club. He was on the Beaver staff, on the Annual staff, and was the Business Manager his senior year. Steve was on the Student Council, and was in the Honor Society. Steve participated in track, football, basketball, and was also in the band. (Played trombone.)
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE REUNION - It was great, and well done. It was fun to see all the people that came, and everyone had fun. And it was VERY WELL ORGANIZED!
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL - Steve went straight from high school to Montana State College (now Montana State University). He graduated in 1960 in General Studies with a major in English and a minor in Math.
He then went directly to Law School in Missoula and graduated in 1963. Now here is one that is really different. After getting his degree, Steve Clerked for a year with Judge James Browning. (Now for some of us, James Browning doesn’t immediately ring a bell. James Browning is a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Browning is from Montana, and as of 2005, he has served 44 years on the court—the longest tenure in that court's history—and published over 1,000 appellate decisions. AND Steve has been a part of our history.) After completing his time with Judge Browning, Steve returned to Billings and joined the largest law firm in the State. He became a full Partner after only seven years.
In 1977 Steve left to go to work for Atlantic Richfield (AR) which at that time had just purchased the Anaconda Company. He headed up the AR legal staff in Montana which consisted of himself and five other lawyers.
He relocated to Denver with AR, and was in charge of lawyers providing services to mining, milling, and smelting operations for AR in Montana, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. After two years in Denver, he left AR and became a partner in with Holland and Hart, the largest law firm in Denver. The firm now has offices in all rocky mountain states. Steve opened the Billings office in 1980 and was the only lawyer there when it opened. It now has 17 lawyers. He was with them until he retired in 2006.
THINGS I’M GLAD MY MOTHER NEVER KNEW (I HOPE) OR I WISH SHE HAD NEVER KNOWN - Steve remembers the beer parties that he and some of his friends had during high school. He also tells me a story between him and Gene Stone, that we have decided not to pass on, but if you ask him, he will tell you about it. Very scary, and very dumb, but it all worked out OK.
FAMILY - Steve is married to Beverly, originally from Maplewood, NJ.
Steve’s oldest Geno lives in Santa Monica, CA, and is a film editor for Sony.
Steve’s daughter, Angela, lives in New York, and is a freelance film production manager.
LEISURE ACTIVITIES - Now here is good one for you. Steve likes to play classical piano. (Wow. Who knew.) He skied until about 10 years ago. Now they like to travel and play golf. They have been to Europe, South America, and cruised the Amazon. In January they are going to Africa on a photo safari. Steve tells me that he will send me some pictures when they get back.
HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIES - Best friends were Norm Wight, Craig Cornell and Bill Mitchell. Favorite teachers included Pat Curran, English, Mr. Golde, Chemistry, and Mrs. McCollum, Algebra. Steve particularly enjoyed playing football.