Stephen Yankura, Jr.

Stephen Yankura, Jr. Resident of Antioch Stephen passed away Sunday, September 26th at his home in the loving company of his family. The admirable strength of character and whimsical sense of humor that he displayed throughout his life carried him through his year long struggle with cancer. Stephen was born on July 23, 1950 at Wheelus Field Air Force Base in Libya, North Africa to Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Yankura and his wife Rusty. The family made many moves during Stephen's childhood. He loved the outdoors and was active and athletic throughout his 60 years of life. Stephen cherished memories of camping and fishing during the time his family lived in Colorado, rafting down the Rancocas River while residing in New Jersey, and surfing on Waikiki Beach when they were stationed in Hawaii. When Stephen Sr. retired from the Air Force in 1965 he moved his family to Moraga. Stephen Jr. graduated from Campolindo High School in 1968. He earned the money to buy his first car, a 1967 Mustang, during his junior year. He enjoyed working on his beloved Mustang and maximizing its speed when he competed in autocross events as a member of the Mustang Club. His mechanical skills were very impressive. Stephen loved working on projects, the bigger the better, and could fix anything that needed fixing. He was an excellent skier and was a member of the Ski Club for many years. He loved to sail his Venture and enjoyed taking friends and family sailing in the San Francisco Bay. Stephen and his father enjoyed water skiing in the Delta in the family ski boat. Stephen obtained his Certification of Scuba Diving and spent many happy days scuba diving off the California coast. He earned a Bachelor of Science with a major in Child Development from the University of California at Davis in 1973. He was proud of his service as a Reserve with the Pleasant Hill Police. He married Janice Stout in 1979 and the couple enjoyed 31 years of marriage. In 1986 they added a son, Claiborne, to the family and in 1989 welcomed a daughter, Sasha. Stephen worked in the business world for many years. His greatest joy in life was his family. When Claiborne signed up to play soccer, he volunteered to coach the team. He was the leader for Claiborne's Boy Scout den and was active with Troop 450 activities. When Claiborne learned to snowboard, Stephen made the change from skier to boarder with ease given his considerable natural athletic ability. He and Claiborne perfected their skills in wakeboarding while on family outings in the Delta. He delighted in "cracking the whip" when pulling Janice and Sasha behind the boat. In 1985 Stephen rode his bicycle in the Grizzly Peak Century, a ride through the hills of the Bay Area. After that, he became an avid bicyclist and rode the 110 mile ride every spring. His most recent sport was windsurfing, which he launched himself into with his usual enthusiasm and energy. He learned to windsurf at Contra Loma Reservoir until he was ready for the more challenging conditions windsurfing in the Delta by Sherman Island. He loved his English Springer Spaniel, Shiloh, and Pomeranian, Precious. He leaves behind to cherish his memory his family, including his father Stephen Yankura Sr.; sister Peggy Hauser; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Linda and Patrick von Merveldt; niece Laura von Merveldt; mother-in-law Annis Stout; and nieces Claudia Walsh (Paul), Kristin Blanke and Barbara Gearhart. Numerous extended family members and friends will miss his exuberant, joyful presence in their lives as well. He was predeceased by his mother, Rusty Yankura and father-in-law, Donald Stout. The family would like to express their deep appreciation for the excellent care provided by Dr. Bhutani, The Kaiser Oncology staff and the Kaiser Hospice staff. A Memorial Service will be held at 11am on Friday, October 15 at Higgins Chapel in Antioch.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Stephen Yankura, Jr., please visit our floral store.