Ridout, Steve

was born February 16, 1954 in Phoenix, Arizona; he passed on June 10, 2012 from heart failure. Steve is survived by a step mother, Barbara; brother, Bill; stepdaughter RayAnne and nieces Chelsey and Nicole. He will be missed by family and friends for his dry sense of humor, sharp wit, caring nature and always being there as a friend when needed. Steve attended Central High School and Paradise Valley High School and graduated in 1972. He enjoyed dirt bike riding, boating and RV camping with his father and brother. Steve and his family were members of the Central Arizona Trails Association in 1970. He competed in Enduro Dirt Bike Racing and excelled in it. One race day, after racing several miles of tough terrain, Steve volunteered to go out and find a competitor who went missing after a race; Steve found him before night fall. Steve was also a loving dad to his stepdaughter, RayAnne and grandfather to his grandson. Twenty-five years later, he would recall when a neighbor had the misfortune to hurt his little girl’s feeling and Steve immediately confronted him about the kid party. He would often feel remorse about his treatment of Barbara, his step mother. The car incident was repeated to me a few times. Steve remarked how his dad was lucky to have Barbara especially during his bout with cancer. He would often tell about the fun he had taking his nieces with him to the desert to play with the dogs. He enjoyed their company and related cute stories about them. One of the stories I heard about was when Chelsey missed her queue when someone passed gas; she forgot to ask if someone stepped on a duck in a department store when in the checkout with her dad Bill. He had a very kind heart towards animals. He used to take his three large dogs to the desert to run almost every day. When his older dog was unable to jump from the back of his pickup truck, Steve would lift him in and out so the elderly dog could join in the desert run with the other dogs. Steve donated to hurt and injured animal organizations. Steve was very emotionally touched when one Chinese family (who owned a restaurant he frequented), in a small town, befriended Steve and asked him if he would consent to being on their child’s emergency call school list; they didn’t have any relatives in their city. This same family had three darling little girls under age six who adored Steve. Steve would often repeat the stories from the parents about the progress of the kids along with their accomplishments. Steve was known for keeping a wad of dollar bills so that he could hand them out when request were made from persons down an out when he lived in a small town in New Mexico and in Phoenix. Steve mentioned he could barely get from the stores and restaurants back to his car without being hit up because the locals recognized him. Steve had a rare kind of gratitude for his friends who not only helped him in the past as in the case of Nick but gratitude for Nick’s help to his dad and brother Bill. I heard of the kindness and generosity from Steve. I can attest to this friend I’ve known off and on since high school of his consistency of being there as a friend in deed when he saw a need. Steve didn’t wait for me to ask for his help as I believe he did with others. He recognized the need for his help and then insisted on helping which is another one of his character qualities. Steve was a people person. I’ll never forget Steve’s courage and loving kindness helping me and my son avoid an abusive ex-husband. His absence leaves a hole in our hearts. Where do you find persons who would work all night long at a shipping company and then empty bed pans during the day for their bed ridden mother for eight years or stay five weeks, night and day with a dying dad in the hospital critical care room? Family heirlooms and memories such as these unique character qualities of Steve’s and friends gratitude are the real treasure. Please go to www.obits.azcentral.com to share a memory and or sign guestbook.