STEVE VONDRACEK

Steve John Vondracek 85, of Quartzsite, Arizona passed away Friday, November 10, 2023, in the comfort of his home with the love of his life by his side. Steve was born September 28, 1938, in Salem, Oregon to Stephen and Frances (Gregg) Vondracek.

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He graduated from Kelso High School in Kelso, Washington in 1956. After graduating from high school, Steve enlisted in the Navy to see the world. He chuckled many times that his “sea duty” was at spent at North Island in San Diego. “So much for seeing the world,” he would quip. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in Dec. of 1960.

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Steve and Patricia MacNamara were married in 1959; they later divorced. Steve married Sharon Hodges Sherping on July 12, 1975, in Conrad, Montana before moving to Lakota, North Dakota later in the year. While in North Dakota, Steve worked on a small re-mod job for Boeing on the minuteman missiles. When this was completed in 1977, he transferred to Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana and continued his work on the Minuteman Missiles. He moved his family to Hayden Lake, Idaho and made the 350-mile commute on weekends for two years. He said it was like a vacation at the end of every week. During this time, he traveled over 20,000 miles on his commute home. In the fall of 1979, he returned to the “Big House” at the Boeing facility in Everett, Washington. While in Everett he put his inspection skills to work on the flight line on the 747 and 767 #1 before her maiden flight. He remained with the 767 program until his retirement.

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His career as a Quality Control Inspector started with The Boeing Company in 1961 and lasted for 33 years. He said he thought he would be working on planes when he was hired but was instead attached to the Minuteman Missile program. Most of his career at Boeing was spent in the field working on the Minuteman Missiles in Montana, Wyoming, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Although, he did spend some time working on the PHM hydrofoil program in Renton, Washington. The last 14 years of his career were spent at Boeing facility Everett.

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Retirement for Steve started on July 1, 1994, when he and Sharon moved to Plains, Montana where they had a home built on the Clark Fork River. Time was spent working in his shop, floating the river, fishing, gardening, riding motorcycles, and just enjoying life. Steve also fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a private pilot. He purchased a Cessna 150 airplane and spent many hours in the sky. Some of the grandchildren also enjoyed flying with grandpa and he never shied away from an opportunity to take friends for a ride. Steve and Sharon also enjoyed flying to various places to have a hamburger or just somewhere for breakfast. He also made a couple cross-country trips including visiting his oldest brother in Michigan as well as flying to California one winter while RVing.

 

Snowbirding began in 1998 with the purchase of their first RV. At first it was only for 3 or 4 months to get out of the Montana cold. In 2004 Steve and Sharon moved to Mulvane, Kansas to be near family. While there the lure of being nomads continued to call out to them. They sold everything and bought a fifth wheel and truck and took to the open road in 2007. Steve and Sharon traversed the United States, and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. While doing this they did a little gold prospecting, rode his motorcycle, were seasonal employees at Amazon, worked the sugar beets one season, and spent 3 summers as camp hosts in South Dakota and Montana. Along their journey they met and became friends with many they met along the way.

 

In 2016 they decided the full-time nomadic life was coming to an end and settled in Quartzsite, Arizona. Steve enjoyed working on various projects in his “Man Cave”, e.g., making wooden toys, airplanes, and pictures on the scroll saw and various project with stained glass. He also enjoyed reading and history. Over the 29 years of retirement, Steve and Sharon visited many museums, continued riding his motorcycle, hiking in the desert and just enjoying life.

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Steve is survived by his wife Sharon, sister Frances, sons Dennis (Chris) Burkhart, Randall (Lilly) Sherping, daughter Teresa (Alan) Scherner, daughter-in-law Beth Sherping, grandchildren Austin (Emily) Burkhart, Zachary Burkhart, Christian, Max, Noah (Amber), and Hannah Scherner, Trevor (Sonja) Sherping, Sarah (Nadan) Kulaglic, Matthew (Natalie) Sherping, great-grandchildren Payton, Sophia, Ryker, Sadie, Landon, and another in March of 2024. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

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He was preceded in death by his parents Stephen and Frances Vondracek, brothers Joe and Vern, sisters, Josie, Vinus (Cookie), and Mae, son Terry Sherping.

 

Celebration of Life services will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be given to Covenant Lutheran Church in Quartzsite, P.O Box 2820, Quartzite AZ, 85346, the Salvation Army, Friends of the Quartzsite Food Bank, or charity of your choice.