Steve Atherton (SAA Class of 1963)

November 17, 1948 - December 7, 2016

Stevenson Atherton passed away peacefully on December 7, 2016 surrounded by family and friends. His tremendous resilience, determination, and grit were exhibited until the end. Born in California and raised in Texas, Steve graduated from the Colorado Rocky Mountain School and Stanford University. Steve enjoyed many pursuits throughout his life; he was an avid outdoorsman and loved to ski, hike, hunt, and fish. Steve was also a lifelong student of liberal arts and enjoyed literature, politics, and history, while alsoenjoying the occasional bad science fiction movie. He was energetic, affable and charming, and throughout his life he was fortunate enough to be surrounded by an unwavering group of friends.

Steve worked for a number of years in the heavy machinery business. Thereafter, he engaged in various corporate development, financial services, and entrepreneurial pursuits. Throughout his life, he was involved in various civic and educational organizations. He was blessed and fortunate to have been able to experience all the best that life had to offer.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Holt Atherton and Roberta Stevenson Atherton. He is survived by his step-mother, Flora Crichton; by his brothers, Holt Atherton, Jr. and Geary Atherton; by his children, Parker Atherton and wife, Annie, Annabel Atherton, Andrew Atherton and his wife, Brooke, and Maxwell Atherton, as well as his three grandchildren, Isabelle, Carolina, and Jack.

An admirer of Sir Winston Churchill, Steve embodied the following well-known Churchill quote and remained a fighter until the end. The eternal optimist if there ever was one: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts."

For friends considering memorials to Mr. Atherton, the family suggests donations to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

Originally published by San Antonio Express-News on Dec. 14, 2016.