Steven Michael Arenholz
Steven Arenholz Obituary
Steven Michael Arenholz
Steven was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on December 12, 1958, to Art and Catherine Arenholz and was the second youngest of five children. As a child his father instilled a passion for nature and fly fishing in him. He had many fond memories fishing with his Father and two brothers since he was about 7 years old. His Dad would take Steven and his brothers fishing on the San Juan and the Rio Grande and annually took trips to Wyoming. He went to New Mexico Tech School of Mines and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering. He lived in New Mexico until his early 20’s. He went on to work in a field related to his degree which eventually brought him to Colorado where he met and married his soulmate, Esmerralda Contreras on September 28, 1987. They had a son, Steven Arenholz in 1988 and a daughter, Tawnee Arenholz, nine years later. They raised their family and made their home in Brighton, Colorado. He finally ended up pursuing a career as a truck driver which quickly became a passion of his. He drove fuel tankers for the last 25 plus years all over the front range and was frequently driving in nearby states such as Kansas, Wyoming and Nebraska.
Steven meant the world to everyone around him. He was truly a one-of-a-kind individual, leaving an impact on every person he met. He was the kindest man you could ever meet. Always willing to lend a hand. Without hesitation he took in and fostered three of his nephews for a year and a half, showing and giving the three boys more fatherly love and affection than they had ever received. He took pride in knowing that his advice and actions helped lead them to be strong and kind individuals. He loved his family and loved being a generous provider. There was never a second thought when it came to spoiling his loved ones. He always had a jovial, upbeat attitude and never failed to see a silver lining in every situation. He always knew the right thing to say, always having a joke for every moment. He appreciated everything around him, including his wife’s passion for plants and flowers. He was always looking for a place to whisk his wife to, indulging and making her feel special was always at the forefront of his mind. He was so many things: a beloved father, husband, brother, son, lover, friend, teacher, joker, caretaker, avid hobbyist, and a lover of all things fishing! He had a passion for tying his own fly’s and amassed a huge collection that he made himself. He was a multitalented man, who truly could see the beautiful things in life and cherished everything around him. He was a hard worker, but it wasn’t always all work and no play. If Steven wasn’t driving a truck he would be fishing. Fly fishing was more than just a hobby to Steven, it was a passion of his from childhood, it was a big part of who he was. Steven was an accomplished fisherman from a young age as well as winning his first award at the age of 14 in 1973. He went on to win many other awards including having his own hand tied flies appearing in Fly Tyers Magazine. His loving wife Es was always by his side on these fishing trips. It was rare to see them apart. They always loved spending the majority of their time together. They loved being out in nature: camping with their children, hiking, gold panning, exploring, and especially fishing. He also loved exploring caves and fossil and rock hunting which instilled similar passions in his son. They shared other passions as well. Another love of Steven and Es’s was going out to eat together. They loved to visit their favorite places, discovering new ones along the way. Every outing was more than just a meal, it was always a memorable experience. He loved to cook, bake, and grill, always adding his special little “tweaks” to the recipes. Grilling always ended with a rip-roaring fire with all of his loved ones and family members to join in on the fun. Whether he knew it or not he left a piece of himself with every single person he met, a kind twinkle in his eye you could never forget. He will be dearly missed.
Steven is survived by his beloved wife Esmerralda of 38 years, his two children, Steven and Tawnee, his daughter in laws Stephanie and Liely, along with his five grandchildren Iva, Eli, Nya, Lea and Ari. He is also survived by his parents Art and Catherine and three siblings Art, Mary and Helen. He is preceded in death by his older brother Russell.
We are asking in lieu of flowers that those who feel compelled to do so can donate to a Venmo that will go directly to helping Steven's wife in this difficult time or we also have a GoFundMe set up to help. The Venmo doesn't take out a fee and 100% will go to help the family and can be sent to Stephanie-Arenholz-1.
The GoFundMe can be found at this link
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