FORDICE, Stephen Adair

Parker Pioneer, Parker, AZ - Stephen Adair Fordice, loving father, grandfather, father-in-law, brother, and uncle, age 63, peacefully passed away at Goodyear Memorial Hospital in Goodyear, Ariz., with his daughter Jenny, son Dane, and brother Phil present on January 11, 2013 from complications due to COPD. Steve was born in Enterprise, Ore., July 6, 1949 to Delbert and LaNeva Fordice, where he attended elementary and high school. Steve was a proud and distinguished veteran of the United States Army, serving a tour in Vietnam from 1969-1970, and honorably discharged in 1972. Steve joined the Wallowa County Road Department in April 1975 following his military service where he worked as crew member and foreman for 34 years, retiring in August 2009. He loved the outdoors and could be counted on by all the locals to know the best hunting and fishing spots in Wallowa County. He could be found most weekends hauling a steelhead out of the Grande Ronde River, catching a mess of kokanee out of Wallowa Lake, plinking away at squirrels out on Ant Flat Road or filling his deer or elk tag in the fall and winter months. If Steve didn’t have his fishing pole or rifle in his hand, then he busied himself with projects by repairing, upgrading, or improving the quality of life for his family. Steve spent the winter months in Bouse, Ariz., where he surrounded himself with close friends and neighbors, enjoying ATV rides, flying his remote controlled airplanes, and soaking up sun on the porch of his residence tinkering with projects and feeding the wild quail that shared his lawn with him. Steve is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Watson and her son Tyler of Salem, Ore.; his son Dane, his wife Jami and their two children Braden and Taylor of Fort Lewis, Wash.; brother Phillip and his wife Linda of Pendleton, Ore.; nieces, grand-nieces, and many friends. He is also survived by former spouse Nan Fordice, of LaGrande, Ore. He is preceded in death by his parents Delbert and LeNeva Fordice and trusty companion, dog Scooter. At Steve’s request, a celebration of life service will be held in the spring of 2013 in Enterprise, Ore. Details will be published at a later date
Posted by mhenderson on January 29, 2013

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