“Steve’s been taken to the hospital again. Please pray,” the Facebook posting stated two-days before he lost his battle for life. Such news is hard to absorb because for the majority of Del Norte County, California residents, current and past, Steve, his brother Rob and the Wakefield name have been a major factor in our lives.
Steve passed away April 26, 2019, at the age of 64. He was born in Crescent City on July 1, 1954, to Bob and Sybil Wakefield and was a lifelong resident of Crescent City.
Steve suffered a stroke January 24, 2018 that resulted in his being transfer to Pacific Medical Care’s Stroke Care Center in San Francisco, before a second, more severe stroke hit him on February 11. Seven days later, Steve announced his retirement.
He returned home on March 9 to hundreds of well-wishers as he landed at Border Coast Regional Airport. The pilot of the air ambulance made a pass over the welcome area, lined with fire, city police, sheriff’s office and CHP patrol vehicles, and all with their emergency lights flashing.
The Crescent City Council proclaimed December 3, 2018, as ‘Fire Chief Steve Wakefield Day,’ noting that he became chief 23 years ago and calling him a driving force in combining Crescent City Fire and Rescue and Crescent City Fire Protection District, “to centralize strength while maintaining exceptional service.” And in May, the Crescent City Chamber of Commerce announced that Steve would be the grand marshal of 2018’s Fourth of July parade, which he was.
Steve attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School, graduated from Del Norte High School in 1972, and went on to Humboldt State University. Following college, Steve and his brother Rob owned and operated Wakefield Brothers Garbage Company for a several years.
In 1976, he joined the Crescent City Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as a firefighter, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief, and finally, fire chief. Two years later, on August 19, 1978, Steve married Debra Day and together during their 40-plus-years of marriage, they raised three sons.
Steve is survived by his wife, Debra; mother, Sybil; sons, Ryan, Marc and Matthew Wakefield; sisters, Sarah Valley and Martha Wakefield; and brothers, Doug and Rob Wakefield.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
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