Steven Kenneth Weitz, 72

Steven Weitz of Rathdrum passed away Sunday, June 30, from his courageous battle with brain cancer. He was surrounded by love and his family. 

Steve was born in Spokane, Wash., and spent his early years living in Colfax until his family moved to Bayview, Idaho. There, he enrolled in Lakeland High School and shortly after met his future wife, Penny. Steve and Penny graduated from Lakeland in 1970 and married shortly after. 

Steve was one of the last drafted into the Army in Idaho for the Vietnam War. Steve and Penny moved to Fort Hood, Texas, where he would serve, and then moved back to Rathdrum, where he would continue to serve in the Army Reserves. 

He worked many years at the lumber mill Diamond International, which then became Crown Pacific while serving the city of Rathdrum as a volunteer firefighter and EMT for Rathdrum's then-very-new Post Falls Ambulance. He coached boys baseball while his son was growing up and even played on his own recreational team, The Cop Shop, usually against his wife's team, Post Falls Ambulance. He also worked in security for some hospitals in the Spokane area. 

Steve loved hunting and, in later years, his garden. He made and shared his own pickles and his own Christmas fruitcake, which he swore everyone loved.   

He is survived by his wife of almost 54 years, Penny Weitz, and their three children, Candace Navarro of Coeur d'Alene, Steven S. Weitz of Rathdrum, Trisha Weitz of Rathdrum, his seven grandchildren, Alexa Navarro of Portland, Ore., Korynn Weitz, Jordan Navarro both of Moscow, Idaho, Brody Weitz, Crue Weitz, Driggs Weitz and Ember Weitz, all of Rathdrum, brothers Terry (Sandy) Weitz of Colfax, Wash., and Michael (Debbie) Weitz of Post Falls, Idaho, loved family Tassie Magrath, Joseph Navarro, Michelle Rosane, Rick Hill and many other close family friends. 

A private family ceremony will be held at a later date.