Our hearts are heavy upon learning that dear friend and longtime Strawberrian, Steve LaVine, departed this earthly plane yesterday. Steve was an integral part of the Strawberry workforce from the beginning and continued to work in many different capacities over the years.
His claim to fame (one of many) was having been the first person to take the Strawberry stage, as Master of Ceremonies, at our very first festival in 1982. Steve is well known regionally as the long-time MC of the Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest. He was a local celebrity as a musician, poet-philosopher, reverend, and MC in the Sonora area and beyond. Steve was a word-smith and storyteller, with a vast repertoire of local lore and otherworldly insight.
Steve contributed his gifts to Strawberry as a full and part time employee over many decades , having managed the Strawberry record store in downtown Sonora for many years, coordinating festival supply, and steadfastly serving as a Steve-of-all-trades. He worked many long hours before, after, and often during the festival, setting up, tearing down, and providing support to all areas of production. He responded to his calls on the festival walkie talkie by saying, “How may I help you?” And, help us he did, in so many different ways along this long and winding road, always in a manner that reflected Steve’s unique vision and creative style.
Many of us remember Steve for his music, musings, humble heart, joyful smile, penchant for love and generosity, as well as for the numerous times he came to our aid or helped us out of a jam. We are deeply grateful to have known Steve as a one-of-a-kind, totally uncensored, delightfully quirky, genuine human being, and spinner of yarn and song with a gift for word play and intellectual humor. His absence will leave a huge hole in our community’s heart. Our deepest condolences go out to Steve’s wide circle of family and friends.
