Yolo-Sacramento County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....STEICHEL , James Evan  April 8 2004
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Peggy B. Perazzo pbperazzo@comcast.net June 6, 2004, 4:58 pm

"The Davis Enterprise," Thursday, April 15, 2004
James Steichel

James Evan Steichel, a Sacramento resident and former longtime resident of
Davis, died suddenly on April 8, 2004, as a result of a motorcycle accident in
Napa County. He was 41 years old.

Born New York on Jan. 18, 1963, he was employed by UC Davis as the field
operations coordinator for the Student Experimental Farm from 1992 until his death.

A highly skilled mechanic and carpenter with diverse interests, he excelled at
applying theory to real world situations, his family said. He lived for a year
in Kenya with the Friends World program, where he used alternative building
products and assembly methods to design and construct an aquaculture system. He
also spent several months at the Desert Research Institute in Israel's Negrev
desert, studying building design for arid climates.

In his work at the UC Davis Student Experimental Farm, he was a generous,
patient and giving teacher and mentor, enthusiastically sharing his knowledge
and expertise with hundreds of college students, his family said. His kindness,
positive attitude and encouragement brought out the best in the students, often
leading them to accomplish more than they had expected of themselves.

In addition, his extraordinary skills as a carpenter are evident in many
beautiful structures on site at the Student Farm, as well as private residences
in the surrounding Davis community. In his personal life, he was a devoted and
nurturing father.

His interests in mechanics and his nature as a hands-on individual led him to
become a certified airframe/aircraft power plant mechanic and motorcycle
mechanic. Motorcycle sport riding became a consuming passion of his over the
last four years of his life. His Italian yellow bike, a Ducati 748, became a
distinctive sight and sound around Davis and the winding mountainous roads of
highway 128. He held an exuberant appreciation of the design and craftsmanship
invested in high-end motorcycles, and he delighted in the camaraderie of his
fellow riders of all backgrounds and skills.

He is survived by his wife, Nina, of Sacramento; daughter, Sage, of Davis;
parents Sondra of New York and Morris of New York; and sisters Diane, Joanne and
Cheryl of New York.

Graveside services will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 16, at the Davis
Cemetery, 820 Pole Line Road in Davis.

Additional information regarding services and donations to the James Steichel
Memorial Fund may be obtained though Lombard & Company, funeral directors at
(916) 483-3297.


Additional Comments:
Submitted with the permission of the "The Davis Enterprise," 315 G Street,
Davis, CA 95616.

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