A Community Honoring of Steve LaRue
Ojai Retreat: Sunday, May 20 at 6pm. Public Welcome!
Today I am thinking of Steve LaRue, who died last week at age 59, only a year older than me. How quickly Life passes! I knew Steve and his parents and sister from my years at Nordhoff High School so it gave me a shock when a friend informed me of his sudden passing. I received the following announcement from Rhonda LaRue with a request to let all his friends know about the memorial service.
The Ojai Retreat is hosting an honoring event for Steve LaRue, starting at 6pm Sunday, May 20 with a tree planting in Steve’s name, followed by a 7pm buffet and informal gathering. All are welcome. The Ojai Retreat is located at 160 Besant Road (behind the Ranch House Restaurant) 805-646-2536
Steve LaRue, a known and regarded member of our Ojai community, died of a heart attack at the age of 59, after a jaw surgery last Wednesday, May 9th.
Steve LaRue is a long-time citizen of Ojai, having settled here with his parents, Blair and Wayne, and sister Leslie in 1954. Steve graduated H.S. from Nordhoff, and went on to obtain a Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and an MBA from UC Berkeley.
Steve had an unusually eclectic life and career: After obtaining his MBA and taking himself on a series of exotic world travels in his 20’s, Steve worked as an Ad Agency Executive in Santa Barbara for a short time before becoming deeply interested in spiritual philosophy and taking, what he called, “an early retirement” working for many years as a wine steward at the Ranch House Restaurant while he explored the arts, writing, healing and spiritual philosophies. In the 1990’s Steve met and married Ronda Ackles LaRue (who remains here in Ojai as author and artist), and he became a successful real estate broker and business owner of LaRue & Associates, while he continued to deepen in this study of Consciousness and spiritual philosophies.
Steve’s presence in Ojai has been a vast and deep one. Steve had a great love of the Ojai Valley and respected its sacred charm. Steve was a foundational steward of the Ojai Retreat and an active member of the Board of Directors for over 12 years. All who knew Steve LaRue in business and in personal friendship, respected him for his loyal integrity, generous heart, and deep abiding wisdom.
In the last 2 years, after his divorce from former wife and friend Ronda LaRue, Steve moved up to a natural sanctuary home near Wheeler Gorge. Here he returned to his first passion and began in earnest to realize his true dream and the culmination of his life’s rich experiences and introspection….that of becoming a writer. He spent many hours in nature, contemplating and in his home writing.
Steve had struggled with a heart abnormality since his late 30’s and tried many procedures over the years to heal and correct this dehabilitating illness. He was working on compiling his first manuscript at the time of his death.
Those who have known Steve most closely, know the powerful presence that stood behind this gentle man, and the colorful and odd life experiences and stories that make up this most unique tapestry that we all knew as Steve LaRue. Robert Redford with whom Steve corresponded from time to time, once wrote: “Steve, you’re an odd duck!” Speaking as one who has had the profound privileged to know, love, and live with him for the bulk of my adult life, and speaking too on behalf of all whom he has touched with his magnificent, quirky, intelligent, wise and generous manner, I can only say: “Steve, you have served us each with being who you truly are, and you have given us a remarkable vision of what it is to be vulnerably alive and graciously in faith to that which remains eternal. Blessings Be!”
– Editorial written by Ronda LaRue ronda@rondalarue.com
Ronda LaRue, M.S. - Ceremonial Arts
author: Remembering Who You Really Are
http://www.rondalarue.com
http://www.OjaiSoulArts.com
805-746-1657
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