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Deer Park WA

It is with great sorrow that we are posting about the passing of one of our great friends and giant pumpkin growing enthusiasts. Today Steve Handy succumbed to melonomia cancer.

Steve and his wonderfull wife Sheri were first introduced to us at a weighoff in Carnation OR by their father Paul Handy over 20 years ago. Syeve was not only a fantastic pumpkin grower he hand crafted many of the lifting rings and tripod heads alot of us are using today.

Steve you will be dearly missed by all whose lives you touched, and to Sheri stay strong and know you have many, many friends who love you and are there for you any time you need us.

Such a sad thing to post about such a great guy.

Thank you Steve,

Gerry & Dani Gadberry

7/20/2021 11:00:17 PM

have 1 of his tripod heads one of nicest guys ive ever talked with sorry to hear

7/20/2021 11:26:21 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Sorry to hear this. Steve was very helpful to me and I also proudly have a lifter/tripod head that he made for us.

My sincere condolences.

7/20/2021 11:42:28 PM

Washington State

Sorry to hear this. Sheri and family are in our prayers. R.I.P. Steve, you will be missed.🙏🙏

7/21/2021 12:11:45 AM

Grittyville, WA

Super nice guy. Sad to hear this.

7/21/2021 2:20:15 AM

Bethlehem CT

My condolences to his wife and family.

7/21/2021 6:20:18 AM

Diamond, Ohio

Sorry to hear. Rest In Peace

7/21/2021 6:54:30 AM

Nova Scotia

Our sincere condolences to the Handy family. The Dill family.

7/21/2021 7:10:13 AM

South Dakota

rip

7/21/2021 8:19:45 AM

President - GPC

Very sad to hear, condolences for the family.....

7/21/2021 9:59:04 AM

Jericho Vermont

We are still using Steve’s tripod top. Rest In Peace Steve!

7/21/2021 10:18:15 AM

Massachusetts

so sad r.i.p

7/21/2021 10:54:58 AM

Griffith, In

So sorry to hear, prayers to his family!!!

7/21/2021 12:02:19 PM

Colorado

So sorry to hear this.My condolences to family and friends.

7/21/2021 3:03:48 PM

Massachusetts

Sorry to hear. Steve was one of the genuinely nice people that I met growing giant pumpkins. I grew my first pumpkin in 2012 and as a rookie grower never thought about how I was going to get it out of my backyard until September. That's when Steve stepped in to help me. There was a tripod head on my doorstep in days and he helped me through getting my first pumpkin to my first weigh-off. We communicated through the years and I upgraded that tripod head and at one point he sent me some replacement parts with a bill. I looked at the incredible quality of the parts and the bill and wrote him a check for twice the amount. He was very generous with his time and his knowledge. Who else really would spend time with me explaining the difference between Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 pipe? We lived on different coasts so never met in person but our pumpkin community has lost a fine guy for sure.

7/21/2021 5:47:47 PM

Bottom of ohio

Thoughts and prayers

7/21/2021 10:03:28 PM

Iowa

Sad to hear. Won one of his lifting rings in an auction a couple years ago. Enjoyed our conversations during the process. As many said keck of a nice guy. RIP Steve and condolences to the family.

7/21/2021 10:56:40 PM

Bloomfield, Iowa

Very sad to hear of Steve's passing. I am lucky enough that I got to speak to him a few years ago on the phone. I purchased a lifting ring from him and we use it at the Bloomfield Giant Pumpkin Bash and the Iowa State Fair. Very well made. I am growing some of his and Sheri's field pumpkins this year. Hope the weather straightens up because they have grown some dandies. God bless Steve and his family.

7/21/2021 11:46:24 PM

stoughton WI

So sorry, my condolences

7/22/2021 7:33:36 AM

Jackson Twp, Ohio

Sad to hear, one of the legends of the PNW. My families condolences to the Handy family. Also condolences and best regards on behalf of the OVGPG.

Nick Harp

7/22/2021 7:47:51 AM

Dillonvale, Ohio

I am sorry to hear this, we traded seeds at the end of last year. I emailed him a couple months ago asking how things were going and learned of his cancer and that he wasn't growing, but had high hopes of growing next year. I am growing his 1747.5 this year, I only hope I can do him justice.

7/22/2021 7:54:17 AM

Torrance, Ca.

Oh man, what a huge loss and just way to young.

My condolences to his family, friends and all his growing buddies.:(

7/22/2021 10:16:26 AM

Boscawen, NH

Condolences to his family. Like Tom K. I never had the chance to meet Steve since we were on different coasts but had the joy of spending a lot of time on the phone with him discussing his tripod heads and everything I needed to know about tubing. He was a wonderful guy and an incredible machinist/fabricator. He will be missed.

7/22/2021 10:50:27 AM

Johnston, R.I.

So sorry to hear this..

7/23/2021 1:35:41 AM

So sorry to hear this. Rest in peace Steve Handy.

7/23/2021 7:02:53 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

:(

7/23/2021 7:30:50 AM

Upper Strasburg, PA

Wow. Very sad news. I grew a personal best on his 695 seed when I was still a teenager. My condolences to his family

7/23/2021 7:15:13 PM

Peosta, Iowa

Rest in Peace Steve

7/24/2021 9:08:10 AM

Georgia

Really sad news. Steve was a super nice guy and supportive of all growers. I have his tri-pod and his lifting ring. And if I wanted a particular Pacific coast seed, I could count on him to help me get it. His genuineness is what I will always remember. He was there for everyone.

7/24/2021 10:38:15 AM

Cheshire Ma USA

RIP Steve

7/25/2021 9:12:56 AM

Sharon, MA

This is so sad. Steve was a good friend. Enjoyed talking to Steve at all the conventions. RIP my friend.

7/26/2021 8:49:41 PM

Partlow,Va

Very sorry to hear this. My condolences to the family and friends.

7/30/2021 1:13:54 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Rest In Peace. My condolences to his family and friends.

7/30/2021 11:05:28 PM

Ontario, Canada

Our condolences to the family and friends.

8/12/2021 10:14:23 AM

Long Island,New York

My Condolences.

8/19/2021 11:57:16 AM