Steven Kilgore

Steven Douglas Kilgore passed away peacefully on December 5, 2023; at Denver Hospice Inpatient Care Center in Denver Colorado, after a fight with cancer at the age of 68. He was born on April 3, 1955, in Panama City, Florida. He was the second child of an Air Force family where he attended Kindergarten in Japan and finished High School in Germany. For his college years, he attended Hardin-Simmons University where he earned his degree in music and a minor in education. There he met his wife Sherron who he had been married to for 45 years. Other degrees were earned at Strawberry Point, California a Master of Ministry, Denton, Texas in science, Denver, Colorado in respiratory therapy and Phoenix, Arizona a three-year psychotherapy certification.

Steve served in the ministry for several years, he and his family would move throughout the Front Range and the Western Slope. At each church Steve and Sherron helped churches remodel, add on additions to the building and finally begin the building of Alpine Chapel in Telluride. Next, Steve would move into a career as a respiratory therapist for hospitals in Denver and Grand Junction then a career as a psychotherapist in Denver and Grand Junction. Where he was the Co-Owner of a practice in both cities. He is best remembered by friends, co-workers, patients, and clients alike for his sense of humor, sharp wit, and creativity.

His creativity would shine most when it came to his music, where he enjoyed writing songs, a few he compiled into 2 albums Inspiration Alt. 8750 and Steve Kilgore Elev: 7711. His final band is called Frozen in Time String Band, who would play throughout Grand Junction and Palisade, Colorado. Steve always felt safest and closest to God behind one of his 5 guitars.

In his downtime and family time, Steve loved the great outdoors of Colorado where he loved jeeping, reading, fishing, and ran the Imogene Pass Run twice and Boulder-Boulder eight times with his buddies. Adventures and fun were what Steve and Sherron shared together throughout their marriage. They enjoyed having adventures exploring new places, finding new restaurants, and jeeping over various mountains and exploring ghost towns in both Colorado and Utah. The family adventures included rafting the river, camping, lake fishing, and canoeing the river and lakes, snow shoeing, jeeping over the top of many mountain peaks in Colorado and exploring towns and cities including Grand Lake in Colorado, a Southern Tour and Cancun trip with the whole family.

Steve was the father of 3 daughters: Sheri, Stephanie, and Stacey. Each daughter had their own unique and special relationship with him. He was affectionately known as "Padre" by his 4 grandchildren: Ryan, Emily, Desmond, and Darcy. Steve enjoyed going on special outings with his grandchildren where they would find fun adventures. He had 2 sons-in-law Matt and Brad whom he shared a fun-loving relationship with and with whom he went on some of the above adventures and trips. Steve also had an extra special place in his heart for his dogs Lady and Clayton as well as with Zak, Blue, Kara and Toby in the past.

Steve's memorial service will be held on Saturday February 17th, 2024, at 11:00am at the First United Methodist Church on 522 White Avenue in Grand Junction, Colorado. Following the service, a reception will be held at 181 Elm Avenue, Grand Junction on the corner of West Sherwood Drive and Elm Avenue. One of Steve's lasts requests was to have the reception at the office's location and eat Mexican food, listen to Mexican music, and true his trademark humor, he requests that everybody dances at the reception.

Steve was preceded in death by his father Ray and sister Angie. Steve is survived by his wife Sherron, daughters Sheri, Stephanie, and Stacey. Sons-in-law Matt and Brad. Grandchildren Ryan, Emily, Desmond, and Darcy. His mother Margie, sisters Jan, Karen, Cindy, and their husbands Jack, Michael, and Jeff. And his numerous nieces and nephews; Jennifer, Jack and Jessica, Michelle, Emily and Jake, Brianne, Robin and Mike, Rebecca, Gabriel, Jacob, Hannah, Isaac and Caleb and their children. •

"To everything there is a season of life.

To everything there is a reason that is right. 

In everything there is a longing just to know. 

There is a meaning and a purpose and a flow.

 A time to be born, a time to die. 

A time to laugh, a time to cry. 

A time for love, a time for hate.

A time for war and a time to embrace.

And:

Everyone needs a someone. You need one too. 

When your heart is broken, only a friend will do."

-Lyrics from Seasons and Everyone Needs A Someone" written by Steve Kilgore