Stephan (Steve) Nickovich

Steve grew up in Pueblo, graduated from Centennial High School in 1964, and attended Colorado College for three years. He worked at A-B Packing, where he said he grew up in the school of hard knocks. The economic downturn drove Steve and his then-wife, Shari, to Denver, until her passing in 2000. Steve retired from AMI in 2009, ending a career as a commercial HVAC Technician.

In 1999 Steve was unable to attend his 45th high school class reunion; although he had already paid to attend the reunion, his badges remained on the tables. Steve’s nemesis through primary, junior high school and high school was Mary (Palmer) Wood. She attended the reunion – and classmates were asking her where he was. She sent him an email that said, “I think we have some unfinished business…” He subsequently moved from Aurora back to Pueblo in 2011, and spent that summer wooing Mary, now called Liz, until they wed on January 1, 2012.

Steve (aka “Nick”) loved motorcycle rides, alone or with passengers. Lacking any professional training, he drew and painted meticulous versions of historical ships and intricate fantasies. He would spend hours building authentically detailed model planes & ships, and could usually tell you the history of every single one of his models, including what war it was involved in. He could also name every knot which he crafted from waxed thread, and he often melted sprue to create railings and other fine details. He enjoyed watching movies (especially war or classics), bathroom reading (you should see the stack of nautical books on the back shelf of the toilet!), reading newspapers and watching YouTube historical videos on his Kindle, cooking (especially breakfast, and he sure knew how to do bacon), and house husbanding. Then, of course, there was his favorite saying, “It is all the part of the intergalactic conspiracy to piss me off…” Steve is survived by his wife, Liz; sister, Marti (Jim) Isler of Montrose; two children, Sheila (Rayme Anzlovar) Morris and Meri (Bob) Cochran; three grandchildren, Alex Middleton, Bryan Van De Veire and Kassie Van De Veire; Skya and Napoleon and the Sunday Bronco Crew (Steve, Scotty, Jon, Alice, Diane, Aven, and Nicky). The family will greet friends at 12:30 p.m., Friday, June 30, 2017, at the Reception Hall at Imperial Memorial Gardens. Online condolences at www.tgmccarthy.com. Arrangements by T.G. McCarthy Funeral Home.