Steve J. Bradfield

Steven Bradfield was a free-spirited, fun-loving man who was selfless in his every thought, word, and deed. He realized that life was for living, and did so to the fullest each and every day. Steve shared a deep love with his true companion with whom he cherished every moment together. Everyone who knew Steve knew he was passionate about food, but his true joy was found in the dishes he thoughtfully prepared for others as an outpouring of his endless heart. Never one to shy away from hard work, the strength and courage he displayed when faced with the fight for his life was a true indication of the man of great character he truly was. The fifties was a vibrant decade within the culture of America as we were introduced to rock n roll and the sounds of Elvis Presley, and girls were entertained by the hula hoop while boys were found sporting coon skin hats. This was an exciting time in the family of Donald and Donna (Cooper) Bradfield as they welcomed the birth of their son, Steven John, on December 26,, 1956. Steven was born in Muskegon, Michigan as the fourth of nine children in his family. Their house was on Vick Road, so Steve and his siblings were called the Vick gang, and often played with the neighborhood kids. As part of a large family, there was always a list of chores to be completed. However, there was always room for fun in the Bradfield home too as they enjoyed things such as ice skating on their homemade rink, playing in the woods, football games, and fort building together. Steve shared a special bond with his brother Clark in that they both had cerebral palsy. The Bradfield family was unique in more ways than just their larger than average size. Steves father always seemed to find and trade unusual items with others such as a six-foot bike and a Tella Cat - a motorcycle with huge tires. The family also had a blue painted bus they called big blue that they would often camp in whether in their driveway or on actual camping trips. The kids sometimes snuck out of the house and walked to the drive-in where they sat by the fence and watched movies. There were always family dogs around as well. From an early age, Steve enjoyed good food. His mother was known for her goulash and his Grandpa Schlueter attended culinary school in Chicago. Since he was around such great cooking, Steve developed his own love for cooking. He attended local schools and was a good student who excelled in math. Once Steve graduated from Mona Shores High School in 1975, he combined his love for cooking with the necessity of a job and began working as a cook at Big Boy. Even though he had no formal training, he proved to be a fast learner who excelled in his chosen line of work. This allowed him to get a better position with a restaurant called Lord Pepper Mill. This proved to be Steves favorite job where he was able to form many great friendships with his co-workers. He loved going to the beach, and often went with his friends with whom he had the opportunity to go sailing. His better job also allowed him to purchase his first car a green Chevy Nova. For a time, Steve lived with his younger brother, Don, and after about two years he got his own apartment. Also during this time his mother died after losing her battle with leukemia. This was a very difficult time for Steve and consequently, his family encouraged him to move to Bayview Towers where he could be closer to his brother Clark. This was a fateful move for Steve as it provided the backdrop for Steves introduction to the woman who would forever change the course of his life. One day while walking outside he passed two women. One of them walked up to Steve and asked, Dont I know you from somewhere? It was discovered they attended the same high school. Her name was Sue Hoerle and the next time she saw him, she asked him to take her with him to the beach. Steve was happy to oblige. Soon, love blossomed between them and after dating for about a year, she asked him to marry her. Again, Steve was happy to oblige, and they were married on June 9, 2007, in a beautiful outdoor wedding complete with a horse and carriage. After a honeymoon at the Little River Casino, the couple was ready to begin their lives together as husband and wife. Together they enjoyed the beach, riding bikes, and reading. Steve loved to cook for Sue, and his specialty was chicken cordon bleu. He always told his mother-in-law love ya ma, and his in-laws always appreciated the way he cared for their daughter. Steve and Sue had a special cat named Murphy whom Steve adored. He supported his wife through his job as a janitor at Lowes. Just when it seemed like life couldnt get any better, Steve was dealt another devastating blow. On June 22, 2009, his brother Thomas suffered a heart attack and died. This caused Steve to take his health more seriously, which was a good thing for him since he had been diagnosed with lung cancer in July, 2009. In September of 2009, he had to have a lung removed. Even as he went through this ordeal, Steve never wanted others to worry. and always insisted that he was fine. Just two weeks ago he contracted pneumonia, which landed him in the hospital. The very day he began feeling better, Steve suffered a heart attack from which he was unable to recover. Steven Bradfield was a faithful, selfless, and compassionate man who made it known that he was married to his best friend. He loved pizza, singing, music from the seventies including Pink Floyd, and motorcycles too. The greatest thing Steve ever did was accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior just this past July, and he was so excited about this experience. Although his life was not without hardship, he remained strong while holding those he loved even closer. Steve was a big-hearted man who treasured each day he was given, but he cherished those in his life even more. He will be dearly missed. Steven J. Bradfield died on Wednesday, January 13, 2010. Steves family includes his wife, Susan; father, Donald (Karen) Bradfield of Muskegon; brothers, Clark, Robert (Maria), Don, Tim (Donna), all of Muskegon, Greg of White Cloud, John (Tonya) of Hesperia; sisters, Deb (John) Clark of Twin Lake, Cindy (Skip) Priest, Chris (Ron) Follett; stepbrother, Greg (Denise) Pamer of Twin Lake; sister-in-law, Laura Bradfield; many nieces and nephews; and special cat, Murphy. He was preceded in death by his mother, Donna; brother, Thomas. A service will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 2:00 p.m. at Forest Park Covenant Church. Visit with Steves family and friends on Tuesday, 1-2 p.m. at Forest Park Covenant Church. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to the family to offset funeral expenses. Arrangements provided by Clock Life Story- Muskegon.