Steve Wien

Steve Wien, a man of exceptional integrity and dedication, died at his home in San Jose on January 14th. Steve's family was there with him, surrounding him with love and devotion. He fell into a peaceful sleep, and he is now resting after a long and tough battle with glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain cancer. Steve’s response to the disease that attacked him showed us all how to face adversity with love, kindness, and determination.

Steve was a self-made man, earning everything in his life through hard work and commitment. At nineteen he started Steve’s Painting and quickly built it into a profitable business. Steve had a tremendous work ethic and intense drive to provide the very best customer service. He was a man of principles who gained the respect and trust of all who knew him. Property managers chose his company because they knew that Steve would fix any problems that arose and would always be fair.

Steve’s integrity was seen in all aspects of his life. He didn’t marry until he was 55 because he believed that he should make a commitment to marriage only when he was absolutely sure that he could stand by it. Then when he met Ping, he knew he could keep his wedding vows.

Though Steve had no experience with children until his marriage to Ping, he took on the role of stepfather to Ping’s daughter Mimi with his characteristic kindness, love, and patience. This was especially admirable because a big part of that time included raising a teenager!

When Steve’s illness was first diagnosed, his top priority was ensuring that his beloved wife Ping would have what she would need in the future. He never complained about the life taken from him. That is the type of guy our wonderful Steve was. Despite all the appointments and operations of his last two years, he kept his sunny disposition. When someone asked how he was doing, even when he could no longer walk on his own, he always said “Pretty good.”

Steve never flinched from his responsibilities or his commitment to fairness. Steve was the guy who would drop everything to help a family member or a friend. He was the business owner who treated his employees with generosity and respect. He was the landlord who hated to raise the rent and was very slow to do it. But when something needed fixing, he turned his attention to it in a second.

Although always busy, Steve allowed himself a few hobbies. He loved to garden alongside his wife Ping, and he looked forward to his semi-annual golfing trips with his life-long friends. He was an aficionado of Corvettes, and at one time he possessed four motorcycles. He enjoyed music from performers as diverse as the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, and Dolly Parton. He loved traveling and was fascinated by what he learned on visits to Vietnam and China. He was very fond of Hawaii and even purchased a condominium on Maui. His last big trip was a visit with his beloved Ping to both Maui and the Big Island in 2019.

Steve was the second of five children of Diane and Bill Wien. Steve actively embraced his role in his birth family and later in Ping’s family, hosting many large family gatherings over the years. When Steve’s parents needed more help in their later years, Steve and Ping took a big role in meeting their needs. They assisted Steve’s parents in their daily care, and whenever one of them was hospitalized or in a convalescent home, he and Ping visited each day, helping Dad with physical therapy or coaxing Mom to eat.

Steve was predeceased by his mother and father, Diane and Bill Wien. His little sister Lori Lima passed away three months before him. Steve is deeply mourned by his devoted wife, Ping, who tirelessly cared for and fought for Steve during his long illness, hoping till the very end for a miracle. Steve is mourned by his stepdaughter, Dr. Mimi Xu; his mother-in-law, Guoru Liu; father-in-law, Wenzhen Cao; sister-in-law, Hong Willwerth; and brothers-in-law Hongyi Cao and Mike Willwerth. Steve is profoundly missed by his surviving siblings, Sharon Flood, Lisa Dearborn, and William Wien, and his brother-in-law, Glenn Gee; cousin Gina Anderson; and nephew Robert Rogers. Steve’s loss is deeply felt by his step-nieces, April Gee, Bianca Xu, and Mina Cao; step-nephews, Bobby Zhu and Jacob Cao; his aunts, Anita Davidson and Francin Wien; his uncle, Leland Seimas, many cousins, and countless friends.

Steve, we love and adore you and will hold you close in our hearts forever.