Stephen has been my friend for about 27 years. We met
in our sophomore year at high school. His wry sense of humor got me through so many classes and influenced my own sense of
humor. I thank him for that subtle eccentricity. We camped out at Neah Bay and once headed to the Redwoods in a
little green bug with four people plus crammed in - plus all of our gear. That was an unforgettable adventure.
After graduation I didn't see Stephen until about two years ago when he asked me to work with him on a book about Keiko. As
soon as I saw him, it was as if we had seen each other all along in those many years apart - infinite friends. He
has always been so kind to me and is alive in my heart forever." -
Joan (Haugen) Pliego
I worked
with Stephen at Sit & Spin where we became good friends. I am so sorry for
your loss. I know how this news has affected me and I can't imagine how much more intense it must be for family. He was a wonderful, trustworthy, funny person with a great cynical sense of humor. Although it has been
several years since we saw each other I miss him deeply and feel the world we know has a hole in it. But one thing that keeps
happening is that I notice all the animals around a little more closely a lttle more precisely. I can't help but thinking that I'm on a guided tour. And yes
I can hear Stephen laughing at me and my airy-fairy thoughts.
Thank you,
- Clay Bartlett
This September
is the 10 year anniversary of landing Keiko in Iceland, how time flies...
I came into
the picture in June of 1996, and had the responsibility of coordinating the effort to relocate Keiko. I didn’t
take me long to realize that we had the “Dream Team” in place for this monumental project, a veritable “Who’s
Who”, and that the best way to achieve success was to stay out of the way and let them do their thing. No other
team could ever have pulled this off; it had to be this dedicated group of individuals who came together from all walks-of-life
for the single purpose of doing the right thing by Keiko. I remember the first time I met Stephen at the tank in Newport; he was young, eager, idealistic, just the right kind of personality
for a project of this undertaking. He fit right in, got along with the team, did his job, and just as Keiko learned
to trust him with his life, so too did the team from the Foundation.
I have just
spent the last hour reading the tributes Stephen’s family and friends have posted and I have to say that he lived a
life. His character as a man, his loyalty as a friend and colleague, and his love as a son and brother shined through
in each word, thought, and story shared. In this day and age when it seems that people treat life as disposable commodity
instead of what it truly is, a precious gift; the path he chose, his way of life, inspires. I’m sorry I lost touch
with Stephen and the others from the team, I missed out on watching a good young man grow up to become a great human being.
My thoughts
and prayers are with his family and friends.
Stephen taught
us all about living.
In sympathy,
- Joe Gaskins
To the Claussen Family,
I did not know Stephen well since it was his brother Jim and I that were friends…..it really
does seem like two years difference in age might as well be a million years when you are kids. Reading about all the
amazing things Stephen did in his 41 years truly made me proud – proud because he found something he loved to do and
did it well and proud because I always love hearing about another kid from the neighborhood who went on to do great things.
When my mother died a very dear friend of mine shared with me a quote that I will never forget
and after reading about Stephen on this site I truly feel it applies to him.
“As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.”
Leonardo DaVinci
When I drive by your old place on 108th I always tell my kids that is where the Claussen’s
lived.
My thoughts are with you all, - Hugh Phillips
