Birth date: Apr 27, 1961 Death date: Feb 27, 2015
Steven Richard Garmaker, 53, passed away of a sudden heart attack while rehabilitating at Kaiser Foundation Center; two weeks after undergoing spinal surgery. Steven Garmaker was born on April 27, 1961 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. S Read Obituary
Part I Memories of GarI have the best memories recalling all of the fun we had each summer. We would spend many hours on Lake Minnetonka. To this day they are some of my favorite stories to tell!Some of the best memories include when the water on Lake Minnetonka was like glass, it was so smooth that throwing up a wall was a blast. The water skiing was so good that â??sometimesâ? we had trouble making it to the first hour of class or swim practice. We may have missed a couple classes and practices!With all the water skiing, tubing, fishing, downhill skiing, bridge jumping, and having fun at flush bay there are so many great stories. To this day I still share with my family and friends. Just recently, over Christmas, my kids and I went downhill skiing. I shared the stories that Gar and I experienced. These included racing each other downhill and showing where we used to jump off the chair lifts. No emergency visits this time.Deep sea fishing and landing in a school of Blue Fin Tuna in Florida still holds great memories for me. I can still see the large school of Blues in the crest of the waves and hearing the first mate yelling â??TUNAâ?! All of us were setting hooks, reeling in the fish, getting our lines back out as fast as we could! Going under and over everyoneâ??s lines, so we wouldn't get them crossed or tangled. Watching the first mate gaffing and pulling in all of the thirty-plus pound tuna, into the boat.When we unloaded all the fish on the dock, filling 2-marina wheelbarrows. Everyone was watching all the fish we caught, it was unreal how much fish we brought in! Along with a five-pound Mahi-Mahi someone commented on the dock â??looks like someone is going to have Dorado on a ritz crackerâ?. Mr. Gar asked the Captain, if we could take a few of the tuna home to grill. The Captain answered, â??No, theyâ??re out of season you donâ??t want to eat theseâ?¦all weâ??re going to do with all this fish is put them in the flower gardenâ?. â??No worries Mr. Gar, they were only 17 cents a pound and long before the Japanese found out we had Blue Fin Tuna!â?I remember all the concerts we went to especially the Eagles outside at the Met center. I remember Gar always telling the story how we got down there in a dump truck, â??we we're so close to Joe Welsh, I could count his whiskers!â?
Part II There are friends you meet while on the journey of life. I have never met anyone like Steve, he was always looking out for others, and he had a huge heart. I remember when he was captain on the team; he would engage the new team members taking interest in them asking them questions about them selves. He included them in all of our extra curricular activities.When our coach mentioned to us that we had to supply our own warm-ups, because the school did not have the money. We asked our coach, â??weâ??re state champions, how could this be?â? Steve, as our new captain had a brilliant idea! We would go to Rag stock and buy worn tired army coats. Konk, joined the team from Syracuse New York suggested Rooster hats. These reflected the pimp character on the Beretta TV show. We drove downtown at Browns hat shop on Hennepin Avenue and bought our hats and of course added the long feather to complete our school warm-ups. We wore our new warm-ups at our first competition against Edina. Garâ??s great idea and sense of humor had the athletic director rethink the shortage of funds for the team after a couple weeks showing up at various schools, miraculously we had brand new warm-ups for our competitions!Friendly wagering was always fun. The week before the State competition, Gar bet that I couldn't tackle him running up the stairs. I gave it my best to try and tackle him. Gar accidently stepped on my right hand, it didnâ??t look or feel good. Mr. Gar looked at my hand and said, "Misk I've seen a lot of dislocated fingers in my time and this is a dislocated finger. All we need to do is straighten it out. Itâ??s not going to hurtâ?. After a few attempts at trying to straighten out my finger and a couple of loud screams of pain. Mr. Gar mentioned, "Misk, I think you broke your finger".I went into surgery; they placed a pin into my finger to hold the broken bone. This was one of maybe two times our coach wasnâ??t happy. Come to think of it, our coach didnâ??t like too many of our adventures. Gar would often mention, â??Youâ??ll always have the scar to remember meâ?Steve had the best laugh and it was so contagious, you automatically started to laugh when you heard him laugh!I have only two regrets as I'm looking back. One, I regret letting time get away from me, and the other is I regret not showing Konk how to change the oil! Sorry Konk, I forgot about that one!I always remember Gar every time I get asked, how I got the scar on my hand. I always start by saying, â??do I have a story for you!â?We had a lot of fun going to the horse track to bet on the ponies. Gar was very successful and once he won $500.00I loved him as a brother. My heart feels the pain and the loss youâ??re going through. I am so grateful that our paths in life crossed and that we had a lot of fun times, laughs and great stories! You will be greatly missed my friend, but never forgotten. I have the scar to prove it. Mike Misk
Lit a candle in memory of Steven Richard Garmaker
Amanda Sweeten & Family-So sorry to hear about your step dad's passing. He was so very young! Just from reading some of the other comments, he sounds like he was a really good man & will be missed by many. I hope once you and your family get over the initial shock, that the memories you hold in your hearts will help comfort you. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy.Shannon Brown
Steve was one of the great personalities I have ever met. His stories were always larger than life and told with incredible passion of the moment. Things I will always remember about Steve: -Taking the Thunderbird out all day with my brother (who was recovering from cancer surgery) and his friend inner-tubing. It was always an experience with Steve behind any wheel. -Cruising Hopkins in the Avanti. -I never saw him lose to anyone at arm wrestling. Even guys that were twice his size. -Opening day at Metropolitan Stadium (even if it meant missing school). -Vikings come from behind win versus 49ers 28-27 December 4th 1977. Never leave a game early. -Nobody messes with his little brother. -THE Toga Party. -Even if I blow up the engine in the Suburban by screwing up an oil change I can still be his friend. (Sorry about that one Mr. Gar). -His passion when he talked about his job and helping people get the treatment that they needed. He told me â??Konk! Nobody has the connections that I haveâ?. -Calls on Saturday mornings watching college basketball. We both sucked at filling out brackets. -The swim team party at my house where we thought we got away with one. Collected keys, repaired damage, had a grand time only to be outted by one of the team momâ??s who thanked my mom for having the team over. -Bridge jumping in April. -Filming a chase scene on frozen Lake Minnetonka. Daring and getting Mike Misk to ride on the roof of the family trickster station wagon. We were ahead of our time. We could have been youtube sensations. -Even after 30 years of not seeing each other we can get together and have a blast like we had never been apart. His and Deniseâ??s trip to Washington was a highlight of our summer.Nothing but great memories and very grateful for the time we had together.My heart goes out to Denise, Gar and Dar and Stu. Rest in Peace Steve.Jim and Rhonda Kohnke
We are truly saddened by the loss of Steve (Stevie G to us!). Although miles apart, we were close in spirit, keeping in touch over the years. Dar and Gar, our thoughts are with you. Denise, our hearts ache for you (Remember to watch for curving arrows).Friends from Minnesota – Ray and Sheila Lotz
I worked with Steve for 5 years at DaVita. I am so sorry for the sudden loss of this caring, wonderful man! Steve cared deeply for the patients he served and they definitely knew it. Heaven received a very special angel! Jodee Wilsdorf
Steve was such a kind, gentle soul. The world has lost some of its gentleness with his passing. Those that worked with him and loved him are richer for having him in our lives.
The hearts of many Davita teammates are broken over Steve's loss. He was such a kind and gentle man and a caring social worker. May God bless you and comfort you during this very difficult time.Terry Stroh
