Steve Culbertson passed away peacefully at home on May 31, 2022. He was a beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle and Friend.

Steve grew up mostly in small towns in Washington State graduating from Endicott High School in 1961. In school he excelled and loved sports, playing on the football, basketball, and baseball teams.

After graduation he joined the U.S. Forest Service as a Smokejumper at the North Cascade Smokejumper Base in Winthrop, WA. Despite being terrified of heights, he somehow managed to jump out of planes helping put out dozens of forest fires throughout the region in the summers of 1962 through 1965. This was an organization he was proud to have been a part of, and a piece of his life he often talked about, sharing stories of his adventures with his grandchildren.

In 1977 he married the love of his life Sharon Larson in Seattle, WA, blending two beautiful families together. In 1984 he moved his family to Billings, MT, and lived and thrived there for 32 years where Steve had a successful career in the employee benefits industry, eventually authoring many of the testing requirements still in use today for new professionals.

Steve loved the Montana lifestyle, especially fly-fishing, golfing, snow skiing and backpacking with his children and grandchildren. They spent summers on the lake teaching friends to water ski and seeing how quickly he could get his kids to fly off the tube behind the boat.

Steve was an active member of Faith Evangelical Church in Billings, Mt where he sang in the choir and developed deep and lasting friendships as he grew in his relationship with the Lord. He and Sharon moved to the Spokane area when Steve retired to be near family in the summer of 2015 and re-established themselves on a picture perfect 10 acres. When he wasn't on the golf course you would find him getting back to his forest service roots with a chainsaw, chopping and clearing trees on their property.

Steve also loved to coach soccer and coached different ages of youth soccer most of his adult life, including a State Championship in Montana, as well as coaching his youngest grandchild's team.

Those that knew Steve and Sharon had most likely been invited to many meals around their table, Steve truly loved people and always welcomed others to their home.

There is no doubt that the most defining moment in Steve's life was the day he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. This decision not only changed the course of his own life, but his legacy of Faith is now living on in his children and grandchildren. The one thing Steve wanted most in life was for those he loved to know the love and salvation of Jesus. He is survived by his wife of 44 years Sharon Culbertson, His kids Bruce ( April ) Culbertson, Leslie ( Randy) Henckel, Jason ( Tami ) Brustad, and Craig ( Alayna ) Culbertson . His Brother Scott ( Jacque ) Culbertson and his Sister Roberta ( Bobbin ) Wilson, 14 Grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren to carry on his legacy.

In leu of flowers, please consider donations to one of the following organizations on his behalf.

Northwest Christian Schools Inc. – www.nwcs.org

Life Services of Spokane – www.lifeservices.org

National Smokejumpers Association – www.smokejumpers.com