Steven David Presher 1952-2025

Steven David Presher sailed away on fair winds and following seas in his final voyage home on April 12, 2025, following a long and valiant fight with Multiple-Myeloma cancer & Endocarditis. Steven was born on March 5, 1952, in Oakland, CA to Teddy Al Presher and Marilyn Joanne Morris and was the oldest of seven children. Steven graduated from Westmoor High in Daly City, CA in 1970 and immediately set out to accomplish a name for himself by enlisting in the US Navy in 1970.

Steven believed that hard work and honesty was vital to career & life success and was a self-taught master chef/baker among the submarine fleet on the USS John Marshall, USS George Marshall, USS Atlanta, USS Salt Lake City, USS Ohio, and the USS Alabama. Along with additional shore duty stations at Bremerton, WA, Groton, New London CT, & NAS Whidbey (twice).

Steven received high marks in all military performance evaluations spanning his 23-year career in the Navy and knew your work reflected your character. Steven was known as the “ham and hum” among comrades and fellow sailors as he always hummed while cooking in galleys and kitchens of the Navy. Steven’s exceptional chef’s skills also included professional cakes highly sought after by Admirals and Captains for military retirements & ceremonies, community events as well as family and friends!

Steven retired honorably in March 1993 as a Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8) but continued his culinary career for another 10 years as the Dietary Manager for senior residential care homes and nursing facilities. Steven knew how to find joy in his work and stated to his kids and those he knew – “No matter your job, do it right, have fun, and you will be rewarded! Steven believed that timeliness was its own commitment and was also known to say, “If you’re not 5 minutes early you’re late.”

He closed out his culinary career in February of 2002 with his dream of stepping on every continent around the world with a 6-month tour at McMurdo station, Antarctica as the head chef for research scientists.

Steven married his high school girlfriend Wanda Rose Martin on October 2, 1970, and together they welcomed five children. Steven enjoyed the aspects of military life at various duty stations, and they finally settled in Oak Harbor, WA before parting ways in 1996. Steven and Wanda remained dedicated to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Steven married his bride “as he affectionally called her” Joanne I. Starr on May 16, 1998, and found joy in blending their families with laughter and service. They proved that home truly is where your heart is by making homes in places like Washington, Ohio, Arizona, and Oregon. Steven was a self-taught man of many talents and loved finding ways to serve & care for his bride by building quilting sheds, going on regular date nights, cooking meals and traveling together around the world, especially if they could see their children and grandchildren for family events and special occasions.

Steven was a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and was always first in line to volunteer in whatever capacity the Lord required on land or sea. Steven knew service was close to Godliness and signed up first for any need to help even while he was challenged with medical pains and problems – his example to serve whenever the Lord asks was evident in the submariner quote “Anytime, Anywhere, always ready, always there.”

Steven was not shy about sharing his testimony, and never missed an opportunity to let his faith do the talking in witnessing the Savior in each day and every miracle!

Steven was a talented writer and mastered this skill throughout his career in the military where writing letters home was the primary form of communication. On multiple occasions Steven counseled his family members “if you don’t know how to say something tender or difficult to someone – write it instead.” He often wrote short stories and became accomplished on paper in expressing his feelings in a way that touched the hearts of all those he wrote to. Steven was always looking for opportunities to improve his skills and talents and proved no matter what age, you can always learn more, when he graduated from Cochise Community College, AZ with an AA in Business in 2018.

Steven had a hands-on belief when it came to yard work as one of his favorite hobbies and he had the scars to prove it! Steven enjoyed inviting his family to join in outdoor activities like gardening, woodwork, swimming, canning, car repairs, and more. Steven had exceptional gardening skills and believed in food storage from your own backyard.

Among Steven’s vast lifelong talents was his ability to create laughter in the moment! His children & grandchildren will long remember his echo of laughter with their looks of “You’re so weird” when he offered his beard for a close smell to make a memory with every visit. Steven created an atmosphere of joking and pranks across generations of children & grandchildren and leaves a legacy of overcoming hardships with laughter and enduring challenges with faith and funny moments. Steven knew, however, when it was needed to balance the laughter with counsel and could be counted on for a bear hug to ease burdens.

Steven was more than a loving husband, but also a trusted & faithful companion to Joanne providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support beyond his own strength to show his family the importance of tending to your spouse in this life even amidst personal sacrifice and pain.

Steven was preceded in death by his Father Teddy Al Presher, Mother Marilyn Morris Presher, Brother Anthony “Tony,” Presher, Sister Evelyn C. Taylor, Son Billy Starr and Grandson Nick Starr. Steven is survived by his wife Joanne, children, Sheryl Castle (Simon), Kimberly Moore (Robert), David Presher (Amie), Stacey Green (Greg), Amy Thompson (Trajan), Sister Robin and Brothers Victor, Nickolas, and Mark as well as twenty-four grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

We invite all those who have known and served with Steven David Presher personally and professionally to attend a US Navy military graveside service in his honor on Saturday July 19, 2025 @ 11:30am at the Langley-Woodmen Cemetery 1109 Al Anderson Ave. Langley, WA 98260.

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