Obituary of Stephanie Edith Schreck

Stephanie Edith Schreck was born on January 21, 1948 in Seattle, Washington, joining her sister, Laurie, and together they welcomed their sister, Debbie. Following a divorce, their mother, Janice R. Thomas, married Harry “Tommy” Thomas, who adopted all three girls to create a blended family that included their brother, Robert, and sister, Jeannie. Even as a small child, Stephanie showed both her strong will and her love for laughter, delighting her father when she would stick out her chin and stand her ground, and frustrating him as the three girls would dissolve into giggles at the dinner table (and then find themselves banished from the table, still giggling on the back stairs of their home). Stephanie always had a soft spot for animals – she could never pass by a lost kitten, wounded dog or distressed bird without opening her heart and finding a way to help. Growing up in the Queen Anne area of Seattle and Woodinville, Washington, Stephanie was not always where she was supposed to be – and could often be found at the roller skating rink when she said she was somewhere else (a favorite cover being the library). She graduated from Nathan Hale High School in 1966. After meeting on a blind date, Stephanie married Dave “Tut” Schreck in 1967, and they moved to Onalaska, Washington. Together, they had three children – Tom, Kimberly and David. They raised their family in southwest Washington, primarily in Toledo, taking frequent family camping trips and spending time at the children’s sporting events. Stephanie always encouraged her children – and anyone who needed her support – by saying, “If you just set your mind to it, you can do ANYTHING.” For her children, that was anything except stay out past curfew, when they would find her patiently waiting to dish out their punishment. Tragically, when Stephanie’s youngest son, David, was just five years old, he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma cancer. Stephanie and her family spent the next three years managing through treatments and surgeries until David lost his battle with cancer in 1985, at just eight years old. In the year prior to his death, David’s wish for a family trip to Disneyland was granted, giving the family a brief respite and a sense of normalcy during a trying time, and making Stephanie a life-long supporter of the Make-A-Wish foundation. Stephanie and Dave agreed to end their marriage in 1993. After moving to the Olympia, Washington, area in 2002, Stephanie became an active member of the St. John’s Episcopal Church, where she felt blessed by the love and friendship from her church family. She participated in the church choir, previously served on the governing board, and most recently was leading a fundraising effort to purchase a new pipe organ for the church. She purchased her own home in Olympia, where, with her legendary love of Christmas, Stephanie decorated amazing Christmas trees each holiday season, with no ornament out of place and every piece coordinating with the theme perfectly, right down to the matching wrap on the gifts beneath the tree (including one for her beloved dog, Whoopi). Stephanie was employed in a variety of roles throughout her life, ranging from a school bus driver and a grocery store checker, to a bank teller and financial services customer representative. She put in an impressive 30 years with Wells Fargo in various positions, and was most recently employed as a client service associate with Morgan Stanley and also worked part-time with the Bayview School of Cooking, both in Olympia. Always ready for an adventure, Stephanie’s travels spanned the globe, from Greece and Mexico, to New York City, Wisconsin, Arizona, Lake Tahoe and Hawaii. Whether unsuccessfully clamoring aboard a donkey in Greece, snapping a photo with the Waldorf Astoria’s doorman, or coming up with a face of sand during a reading-while-sun-bathing incident in Hawaii, Stephanie’s trips were filled to the brim with activities, joined by friends and family, and the resulting stories were retold with uncontrollable laughter. At the sporting events of her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, Stephanie was delighted to be known as everyone’s biggest, and loudest, cheerleader. Able to make anyone feel comfortable and at home in her presence, she was described by many – not only by her children – as “Mom.” Stephanie loved life – there was nothing more important to her than to share fun, laughter and music with her friends and family. She maintained a positive attitude in the face of many adversities, and always looked for the good in the people around her. Throughout her life, she couldn’t walk into a room without everyone knowing she was there, and she has now left this earth with many feeling tremendous loss in their hearts that she is gone. Stephanie is survived by her children, Tom Schreck (Ginny) and Kimberly Wells (Michael); her grandchildren, Sina, Racheline and Graeson; her great-grandchildren, Olivia and Maximiliano; her sisters, Laurie Schmidt, Debbie Silliman (Rich), and Jeannie Potter (Mike); her nieces, Nina, Kristin and Jessica; her nephews, Jeff, Zach, Eric and Todd; and her dog, Whoopi. She was preceded in death by her parents, Tommy and Janice Thomas; her son, David; and her brother, Robert. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made in Stephanie’s name to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Alaska and Washington Chapter, 811 First Avenue, Suite 520, Seattle, WA 98104 (https://akwa.wish.org/ways-to-help/giving/donate); or to St. John’s Episcopal Church, Pipe Organ Fund, 114 20th Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501. 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