REINHOLD STEPHEN "STEVE" OBERLATZ
A bright light left Ukiah, California on Monday, August 31st 2020. Reinhold Stephen "Steve" Oberlatz, an absolutely incredible human being, took his last breath that night. Steve was many things to many people. He was a father, husband, grandfather, friend, and mentor.
Steve was born in Bellingham, Washington on March20th, 1937. He graduated from Bellingham High School in 1955 where he played basketball, ran track, and served as president of the Leadership Club.
He continued his education at the University of Washington and graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1959. He belonged to the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity where he served as their vice president.
Steve then moved to California in 1959 right after graduation where he received his California pharmacy license in 1960. He began his pharmaceutical career at Cal Payless in Pittsburgh and Gary’s drugs in Oakland and Berkeley.
He married his first wife Lynn in 1965 and moved to Ukiah in 1966 where he worked as the owner pharmacist at Medico Drugs. He and Lynn would welcome their two sons Dan and Jeff. He would continue his pharmaceutical career by working as a pharmacist at Bill’s drugs, Long’s drugs, and CVS pharmacy until his retirement in 2010. During this time, he was president and Secretary of Redwood Empire Pharmacy Association and belonged to the California pharmacy association.
But retirement didn’t slow Steve down. Always an active member of the community, he continued his role as a member of The Ukiah Lions Club where he was president and zone chairman. He had originally joined the club back in 1968. Steve also would volunteer his time with UVMC (Ukiah Valley Medical Center), Plowshares (a local nonprofit that grows food and helps feed the homeless and low-income), and the elections committee where he helped collect ballots on election day.
Sometime after his divorce from his first wife, he would meet the woman with whom he would spend the rest of his life. He married Connie Crumrine Center on April 9th, 1990 and became a stepfather to her two sons.
Anyone who knew Steve would tell you that he was an incredible person who had endless optimism and love for everyone. He did not see Connie’s two boys as his stepsons but as his sons. He made no distinction between his biological sons and his stepsons, nor did he treat his grandchildren and step grandchildren differently. His daughters-inlaws were seen as his.
Steve was a larger-than-life person to anyone who knew him. One of his granddaughters remembered him as a giant who would help her make epic forts, and then read a story to her as they ate bologna sandwiches. "I’ll forever remember him as a surrogate father", she wrote. "There was no reason for him to treat me like a son", another family member claimed. "I was technically his step-son’s wife’s brother. I was taken into the family fold and I am forever grateful. ’Was’ sounds so strange to me now. All I know is that this amazing, loving, caring individual is gone. And he took a bit of our light with him."
Another family member wrote, "To Steven Oberlatz I wish you safe passage on your next journey. You were a larger-than-life individual who did so much for your community: From being the best pharmacist Ukiah has ever seen to your work with the Lion’s Club doing Easter egg hunts and pancake breakfasts. I hope you know how much you were loved and how much you will be missed. I’ve read somewhere that the depth of which we hurt when someone passes is inversely proportional to the love that we felt for them. Well Dad, I can honestly say that you should be floored at how much we all loved you. Till we meet again."
Steve Oberlatz is survived by wife Connie Oberlatz, sister Ann Cisneros, brother-in-law Caeser Cisneros, sons Daniel Oberlatz of Anchorage Alaska and Jeff Oberlatz of Sacramento, granddaughters Isabel Oberlatz and Bryn Oberlatz of Anchorage; step-sons David Crumrine and Darin Crumrine of Ukiah; daughter-in-law Nina Elizabeth Crumrine; grandchildren Christina Jamison, Mariah Lavielle, Darin Austin Crumrine, Jasmine Lottie Crumrine, Jackson Logan Crumrine, Dustin William Crumrine, Garrett Winters Crumrine, and Wyatt David Crumrine; greatgrandchildren Bailey Ann Bobst, Jamison Bobst and Trinity Rose, countless other relatives, and endless friends.
There will be a celebration of life on Saturday, November 27 from 12:00 PM to 4:00PM at the Saturday Afternoon Clubhouse 107 South Oak Street, Ukiah, CA 95482.