Steven Paul Knapp

Steve grew up in Pendleton, Oregon then went into the Army in 1969. After leaving the army he lived and worked in Portland for a while.

His early goal and plan in life was to become a doctor, but while overseas, and seeing the guys returning from Vietnam, he got involved with drugs. Prior to leaving the Army, he went through drug rehabilitation and didn't use drugs again. This whole drug use issue blew it for him in becoming a doctor, however. He came back to the states and was in a few bands as a bass player, then got a real job doing Non Destructive Testing (testing steel, concrete without blowing it up).

The news item that appeared the day of Steven Knapp's death follows:

A construction inspector found stabbed to death near an underpass o f the Santa Clara Bridge was identified today as Steven Knapp, 54, of Apple Valley, Calif.

Co-workers found Knapp lying on the ground near several large bridge pill ars east of the Ventura River when they arrived at work on Wednesday morning.

Knapp's 1996 Toyota was missing, said Steve Wilcox, the bridge project' s superintendent. Authorities are looking for the car.

The cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen , officials with the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office said today . Authorities have notified the family, which is making funeral arrangements.

The incident has raised concerns about safety at the site, where Wil cox said an assault and non-fatal stabbing have occurred in the last two years.

"We're concerned," Wilcox, 38, of Camarillo, said today at the construction site.

Knapp worked as a sub-contractor of MCM Construction, Inc., Wilcox said . The company is the largest bridge builder in the state, according to it's Web site.

Knapp inspected welding at the bridge site about twice a week, but also worked another job in Camarillo, Wilcox said. Wilcox speculated that Knapp, a married father of two [sic], had spent the night in his car to avoid an extra commute. "It's a major loss," Wilcox said, who described Knapp as a "straight arrow" who kept to himself. "He wasn't a big guy. It's really senseles s that someone would take his life over his car or a robbery."

His obituary reads: "Apple Valley resident of 17 years Steven Paul Knapp, 54, a structural steel inspector, was found stabbed to death nea r an underpass of the Santa Clara River Bridge on May 24, 2006, in Ventur a County. Steve was born on Sept. 1, 1951, in Baker, Ore., the son of Hom er Lorin Knapp (deceased) and Janet Rita Myles of Phoenix, Ariz. He lived and worked in Oregon prior to coming to California and has been a resident of California for the past 23 years. Steve worked in the non-destruct ive testing field for the past 33 years. He had great knowledge about non -destructive testing and was well respected in his field. In the past 23 years Steve has worked all over Southern California on schools, hospitals, bridges, etc.; some of the jobs that Steve has worked on are: Desert Valley Medical Center in Victorville, Hyundai Pavilion in Devore, formerly called Blockbuster Pavilion, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton and Granite Hills High School in Apple Valley.

Steve was a man of deep intellect and had great emotional, aesthetic sensitivity. He was a highly skilled, conscientious man with a big heart for other people. He loved to read anything from biography, history, fiction and science. He could talk for hours about almost any subject. He was an extremely shy and private man, who would express his convictions if asked. He loved and care d deeply about his family. We won't see his like again!

Steve married his wife, Alice, on June 14, 1980, at Portland Rose Gardens in Portland, Ore.; three days after Mount St. Helens blew its top for the third time. Steve and Alice would have been married for 26 years this year. Steve is survived by his wife, Alice Knapp of Apple Valley; sons, Richard and Charles Knapp; daughter, Spring Melody Knapp; sisters Laura Piliaris and her husband, Alex, of Olympia, Wash., Ruth Knapp of Berkeley and Cindy Knapp of Seattle, Wash.; and brother, John Knapp of Vancouver, Wash. Steve's brother, Mark Knapp, is deceased. Steve will be buried at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Ore. The family will have private memorial services."

Steve was a medic in the Army stationed in Germany (RA-MED). He was an SP 4. He entered the Army on the 21st of Jan 1969 and left on and left the A rmy on the 1st of Dec 1971.

Sources:

Oregon Live

Ventura County Star

Steve was working as a structural steel/welding inspector and was spending the night at a construction site near an underpass of the Santa Clara River Bridge when he was murdered.

From his obituary in The Daily Press (Thursday, June 01, 2006): Steve was a man of deep intellect and had great emotional, aesthetic sensitivity. He was a highly skilled, conscientious man with a big heart for other people. He loved to read anything from biography, history, fiction and science. He could talk for hours about almost any subject. He was an extremely shy and private man, who would express his convictions if asked. He loved and cared deeply about his family.

He was a resident of Apple Valley and a Vietnam War Veteran.

Preceded in death by: Father, Homer Lorin Knapp; and brother, Mark Knapp.

Survived by: Wife of nearly 26 years, Alice; sons, Richard and Charles; daughter, Spring Melody; mother, Janet Rita Gallagher Knapp Myles; sisters Laura Piliaris and her husband, Alex, of Olympia, Wash., Ruth Knapp of Berkeley and Cindy Knapp of Seattle, Wash.; and brother, John Knapp of Vancouver.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jul 11 2018, 3:05:49 UTC