Stephen J. Nemec, 45

Stephen Nemec passed away unexpectedly Dec. 20, 2024.

Stephen Joseph Nemec was born at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, Wash., on May 21, 1979, to Eleanor Downs (O’Neal) and Neil Lewis Nemec. He attended elementary and middle school in Coeur d’Alene and graduated from Gonzaga Prep High School in Spokane in 1997. He then graduated with honors from Willamette University in Salem, Ore., in 2001. Steve completed his education at the University of Idaho, College of Law in 2005, where he obtained his Juris Doctor and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Steve went on to join James, Vernon and Weeks Law Firm in 2006, where he became a Partner in 2012 and a Senior Partner in 2019. Steve was a skilled personal injury attorney specializing in Worker's Compensation and was authorized as a Worker's Compensation Specialist by the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association in 2014. He was selected as a Super Lawyer Rising Star in 2015 in Workers Compensation, a prestigious award given to only 2.5% of young attorneys in the state every year. In 2017, he was recognized as one of the nation’s top injured workers attorneys by WILG, a nonprofit organization dedicated to representing the millions of workers who suffer work-related injuries. He was also a distinguished graduate of the Idaho Industrial Commission. Steve was also a registered patent attorney who had been admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  

Steve was married to his wife, Bonte’ Schroeder, on Oct. 5, 2013, who he loved very much. He was devoted to her daughter, Aubrey Schroeder, from the very beginning. They enjoyed a special bond and spent endless hours skiing, boating, playing basketball, and goofing around together.  

Steve loved adventure and he was ready to take off in any direction at the drop of a dime for a day of fun with his friends. He became a Kansas City Chiefs fan via his wife, and they traveled often to cheer them on.  

It’s hard to put into words how wonderful this man was. Steve was a good friend, honest, dependable, hardworking, trustworthy, gentle, kind, and moral to a fault. He was someone you could count on, and he would do anything to help those in need. He was loved by many and will be deeply missed. 

A Viewing will be available at Yates Funeral Home, 744 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. A celebration of life for Stephen will follow at the Coeur d’Alene Eagles, 209 E. Sherman Ave., on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, from 6 to 10 p.m.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Eleanor Downs Nemec, known to all locally as Downie. He is survived by his wife, Bonte’ Nemec; stepdaughter Aubrey Schroeder; his father, Neil L. Nemec; and brother, Paul Michael Nemec, all of Coeur d’Alene. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the World Wildlife Fund, local Humane Society, or Animal Companions. Memorials can also be made to the Stephen J. Nemec Scholarship Fund, being established under the Greater Coeur d’Alene Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Idaho Community Foundation. To donate online, go to https://bit.ly/GreaterCDAFoundation.

Yates Funeral Home is entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Stephen’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.