LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Sit down on the couch with a drink this evening for a story. It’s about a guy who left us before he planned to, but he went exactly as he would have wished – fast, and with a bit of surprise. We weren’t ready and we will miss him dearly.

He lived many lives in his 69 years.

Born in Sonora to Donna and Lee Schultz, then raised in Vallecito, Calif, he and his brother Ron were raised as small town boys, close to extended family.

He went to college at Sacramento State and had his first career in marine biology with the Department of Fish and Game.

With abalone shells strewn far and wide, he had his daughters, Heidi and Andrea, with his first wife Linda.

During this period of his life, you would have learned from him that just because the water was sharky, it didn’t mean you couldn’t dive it.

He found adventure and peace under the ocean waves. With the chilly winters on the coast, he was known to clear the garage and fire up a heater so his little girls could roller skate.

After his first marriage ended, he met his life partner and second wife, Jan, and his children by choice, Shaun and Shalon.

He took up the art of blended family water skiing, fitting six people into the cab of a truck while towing a boat, and spending long hours treading water in a lake while the kids learned to ski.

He also decided that diving was for sport, not money, and he made several career changes through his life, showing that when it’s time to do something different, you just do it, because life is too short.

He was good at everything he did. In retirement, he dabbled in small projects such as operating a vineyard with some friends, building a swimming pool and starting a dialysis center, just because the coast didn’t have one.

He drove just about everywhere he went simply to avoid an airplane. He often wore slippers as shoes, and pulled it off with remarkable style. He had great calves, a sassy sense of humor, and a strong investment in helping the people in his life.

He stayed in touch with family and friends from his home town, from Mendocino and Fort Bragg, and from his new home in Lake County.

He was so very proud of his grandchildren, Kaleb, Griffin, Anika, Cody, Amy and Hayden, who all share glimmers of his personality. He was rarely without his pup, Missy, by his side.

In the evenings, he finished the day with a drink on the couch – sometimes he was quiet, and sometimes he liked to talk. Other times he snored.

When thinking of the things that Steve Schultz cared about – the ocean, wildlife, people who worked hard and had less than they deserved, please consider making a donation in his honor to organizations that support these causes.

A celebration of life will he held at Narley Dude Ranch and Equestrian Center at 4965 Steelhead Drive, Kelseyville, at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 19.

Please come and honor Steve's memories, share stories and spend some time toasting a man who will be missed by many.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .