Stephen Joseph Melcher

Stephen J. Melcher (aka The WarHorse) Steve passed suddenly on April 14th, 2018 of cardiac arrest while at his favorite place in the world, their family lake home on Lake Vermilion. He was a beloved husband to Terry; father to Forrest (fiancée Natalie Miller) and Heather; son of Mary Ann Melcher; brother to Andy (Linda) Melcher, Mary Jane (Dennis) Welch, Elaine Melcher (Steve Smith), Rita (Tim) Johnson, Anita (Dave) Pilarski, and Ed (Bobbi Jo) Melcher; and friend to many. Preceded in death by his father, Norman Melcher, and sister Rose Ann Melcher. There will never be enough words to capture the incredible man Steve was. A businessman, coach, comedian, handyman, golfer, and lifelong servant of others. He could light up any room and, as we lovingly say, he could talk to a wall. Steve loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman and hunter. There were few weekends when he wasn't doing one of those two activities, and he wouldn't have had it any other way. He was also a truly talented woodworker. Of his weekends spent at the lake, many included building (or fixing) just about anything. If it wasn't on his own home, he was certainly busy helping out his friends and family on theirs. One of his biggest joys was working with his son, Forrest, on his many woodworking projects, and Steve was excited to help him renovate his new home in Scandia. Steve was also a humble and selfless servant of others. One of his acquired passions was coaching soccer for both Forrest and Heather. After they went off to college, he refused to quit and volunteered for TOPSoccer. Many of you likely know him as "Coach Steve" and it suited him well, because he always had to be in charge. His enthusiasm could be seen all the way from the other side of the field (if you were at one of his games, you know exactly what this means). One of his favorites lines has always been, "If you aren't the lead dog, the scenery never changes" and he carried this through his life and volunteer activities. Active in his business, church, and community, Steve was a kind man, and hard worker who constantly served others and gave back to his community. You also don't know Steve without his wife, Terry. Married for 36 years, they met when he was 19 and she was 18 at Zayre Shopper City, where they both worked as part-time employees. Steve and Terry were the perfect partners and complements. Steve's endless energy (and sometimes stubbornness) were balanced out with Terry's patient and loving nature. Together they were a rock-solid team, weathering the toughest times and sharing in the countless joys of life. They spent the last 15 years building their dream home together on Lake Vermilion, where they planned to spend much more time during retirement. Steve has left a large hole in many, many hearts and we will miss him every day. We find strength in his faith, optimism, and courage, and know that if he were here he would tell us to "play on!". He will continue to guide us in spirit and serve at the hand of the Lord. We take this time to remember our individual experiences with him and to celebrate his life and all that he was. We will cherish these memories for a lifetime and the impact he has had will most certainly live on. Please join us for a celebration of Steve's life on Thursday, 4/19 at Holcomb-Henry-Boom-Purcell Funeral Home (515 Hwy 96, Shoreview, MN) from 4-8pm or Friday, 4/20 for Mass at St. Odilia Catholic Church (3495 N. Victoria St., Shoreview) at 12pm, (visitation begins at 11am). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project (Donate Here) or the American Diabetes Association (Donate Here).

Tributes

Stephen Joseph Melcher

August 1, 1957 - April 14, 2018

Tributes

Stephen Joseph Melcher

August 1, 1957 - April 14, 2018

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