Stephen Arther

Stephen Edward Arthur (Steve/Ornery) was born February 19, 1930 in Fairplay, Colorado, to Loren and Mary Arthur. He passed away peacefully on August 2, 2013 at his home in Rangely with his beloved wife Nancy of 54 years at his side. He was 83 years old.

He was raised with his younger brother Jack at the ranch on East Divide Creek, near Silt, for most of his childhood.

He graduated from Rifle High School and continued to work on the ranch. He then took a job at Climax for several years in the Molybdenum Mine.

Steve enlisted in the US Army where he served as Tank Commander in Austria during the Korean Conflict. Upon his discharge, he was awarded the Army Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal.

Steve married Nancy Jo Evans, August 22, 1958, at the Methodist Church in Rifle. After they were married, the young couple made their home in Rifle where Steve worked on Oil Rigs up Divide Creek with his brother for a time.

Steve and Nancy has two sons, John Edward and Robert Loren. Johnny passed away at the age of 20 months in Rifle. Rob passed away in an oil field accident in Wyoming just shy of his 22nd birthday.

Steve work for several years at HiWay Lockers and at City Market in Rifle as a meat cutter. Then he had the opportunity to work for Equity Oil where he spent time on rigs at Piceance Creek and in the Rangely Field.

After Equity, Steve worked for Cascade Natural Gas on Uncle Bob Mountain near Silt. He was then transferred to Rangely when Cascade put the compressor station on Dragon Trail and Douglas Creek.

Steve, Nancy and Rob moved to Rangely in 1972, purchasing the house they lived in until he passed away.

Steve was a member of the Rangely Museum Society and the Rio Blanco Archaeological Society. He loved hunting and thoroughly enjoyed working with rock art replicas of local Native American Petroglyphs and Pictographs.

Steve is survived by his wife, Nancy; three sister-in-laws; Janet (Michael) Downing, Laurie (Orville) Drussel and Betty Arthur. He also leaves seven nieces and nephews along with many other loving relatives and friends.

Steve is preceded in death by his two sons, John Edward Arthur and Robert Loren Arthur; his parents, Loren and Mary Arthur; and brother John (Jack) Arthur.

A Memorial Celebration was held at the Rec Center in Rangely, Colorado on August 7, 2013 from 10~1PM. A brief graveside service was held at Rose Hill Cemetery at 3PM in Rifle following the Memorial Celebration where Steve was buried next to his two boys. Services were under the direction of the Ashley Valley Funeral Home.