A Tradition Carried Forward
This site has been created to honor Steve, remind people of the amazing person he was and help to share the background surrounding the Christmas ornament you have received.
Steve had a great love for the holidays and in 2010 he started creating small wooden star ornaments that he would generously give to people who touched his life in one way or another. Each year his stars became more intricate and technical as he perfected his process and expanded on his abilities.
In 2024, after his very sudden and unexpected passing we stumbled upon the beginning pieces he had already cut to make stars for that year's ornaments. We pieced them together and were successful in creating a few ornaments that year to help carry forward his tradition. Each year since then we have worked to try and replicate his process and create something he would have loved.
The hummingbird is our addition to his tradition. On the morning he left this world, a hummingbird visited us all while we were sitting in the shock and grief of his passing. We would like to think it was him checking in on us.
The hummingbird symbolizes endurance, courage and perseverance in times of difficulty or struggle. We know Steve/Dad/Papa is continuing to give us strength to move forward even in his absence and is cheering us on in our attempt to carry on his tradition- even though they will never be as perfect as his were. He is missed tremendously.
Please remember him fondly and the impact he had on this world to his family, friends and patients.
Stars Through the Years
A visual journey through the evolution of Steve's handcrafted wooden stars, from 2010 to 2023 with our additions starting in 2024
Steve's Additional Work
Stephen Louie Stoll Obituary
August 6, 1946 - August 24, 2024
It is with the most profound grief that we announce the passing of Stephen Louie Stoll. On August 24,2024, just two and a half weeks after his 78th birthday, he left this world suddenly and unexpectedly in his sleep, leaving behind his best friend and wife, Julie; his son, Justin, and Justin's wife, Kara; and his daughter, Steph Karins and her husband, Casey. He had five amazing and rambunctious grandsons: Jude, Parker, Bodie, Mason and Jackson (born sleeping) who will forever remember their Papa/Poppi as funny, loving and the absolute best at making wooden toys. He was an amazing woodworker, loved pickling anything he could get his hands on, wearing Crazy Shirts, gardening, and scuba diving with his adventure buddy, Julie.
Steve was patient and systematic. He never found a problem he couldn't work through. He loved making things: carving pumpkins and making Halloween costumes for his kids, painstakingly creating multiple layered jello eggs for Easter, building wooden toys and intricate boxes for his family, and making his famous wooden star Christmas ornaments that he generously gave to everyone who touched his life in some way or another. He loved trying to make and perfect new recipes and he was always in charge of bringing the salad to dinners because his just couldn't be beat. He loved surprises for his grandkids whether that be keeping gummy bears on hand in his pocket, hiding Easter eggs or bringing the boys over to do projects and create things in his shop. He absolutely loved being a dad and a grandparent and was the greatest at both.
Steve was born in Denver, CO, on August 6, 1946, and raised in Cheyenne, WY, by his mother, Ruby Stoll. He had two brothers, John and Mike, and a sister, Judy, who loved him dearly. Steve was commissioned as a second Lieutenant in the United States Army and served honorably from 1970 to 1972. He then attended medical school at the University of Colorado and practiced as an OBGYN for 43 years. He absolutely loved being an OB and would frequently tell us that he loved his job because it didn't feel like work.
Steve met Julie in 1977, at the hospital during his residency. She was an RN in the ER. He was late to their first date but that perhaps may have been the only time in their entire relationship that they were ever out of sync. They married in May of 1981, on a surprisingly snowy day in Colorado. They were certified in scuba diving together in 1978, and proceeded to travel and dive all over the world for the past 46 years. He was her perfect dive buddy and life partner, and they truly demonstrated in every aspect of their lives what a marriage should look like.
Steve and Julie retired and moved to Wenatchee, WA, six years ago to be near Justin and Kara; Steph and Casey followed them a year later. These last five years together as one large family have been full of adventures, dinners together, projects, laughing, crying, and supporting one another through all of life's trials and tribulations. Steve, Dad, Papa was our rock and there is a gaping hole in his absence. We can't believe he is gone and we love and miss him so incredibly much.
Share with Us
Have a story about Steve or star you would like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send us a message with your email address and we will be in touch so you can send us your pictures. We hope to eventually create a tribute wall of people's stars across the country.