Stephen Joseph Filion: December 1951 – June 2026

Stephen left us unexpectedly on June 29 2026. He was 74 years old. Steve was born in Seattle, WA on December 16, 1951 to John and Margaret Filion as the oldest of five children and only boy.

Steve grew up in north Seattle and graduated from Nathan Hale High School in 1970. During his high school years Steve loved to work on cars and boats and spent many hours in his mom’s baby blue convertible Mustang. He raced slot cars with his buds and he was in boy scouts where he spent many weekends hiking and camping that were highly impactful. On a big canoe trip to upper Great Lakes one of the scout masters got severe sunburn and the boys were left alone while the other scoutmaster canoed out to get help. On another hike, one of the scoutmasters had a heart attack and died. The boys had to pack his body out.

Steve also spent summers on Sunlight Beach on Whidbey Island at his parent’s summer cabin, a place he loved and where he did all the activities possible in a wonderful beach community and where had many friends. He loved boating and he loved racing around Useless Bay in the family boat and his limited hydroplane. He was an accomplished water skier and spent many a summer afternoon skiing and pulling others skiing as well. Steve fished and crabbed too. Often, he would show up for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners bearing fresh crab that he expected his sisters to crack. Steve owned several cabin cruisers over the years and spent time boating in the San Juan Islands, the Canadian Gulf Islands and all over Puget Sound. His love of Whidbey Island eventually led to permanently moving there and buying a house near Sunlight Beach where he lived until he left us. Steve was briefly married to Shari Filion and had one stepdaughter Crystal.

Steve served in the US army reserves starting February 16, 1971, from which he received an honorable discharge on October 15, 1976. He was a life time member of the American Legion.

Steve also had property on the Wenatchee River near a multitude of friends where he had a trailer parked and for years he spent time there on weekends and vacations.

Steve was hired as Vic Hanson’s first employee on April 1, 1980, when Vic opened Hanson’s lumber yard in Bayview. Steve drove a semi-truck delivering for Hanson’s until he transitioned to a job as a salesman. He retired on November 11, 2016.

Steve was predeceased by his son Joseph, his parents, his sisters Sallie Harris and Suzette Dunlop, and his nephew Zachary Ross. He is survived by his sisters, Cheri L. Filion and Denise Filion-Young (Seward), nephews Ian Ross (Karen), Aaron Ross (Rafa) and Jameson McEwan, nieces Kathryn Riley (Sean), Vanessa Lewis, Halston Young, and Savannah Young (Mason Andrews), step daughter Crystal McGee and many great nieces and nephews.

Stephen left us too soon and we miss him already.

A celebration of life will be held on October 24, 2026 from 2 – 5 pm. at the American Legion Hall at 14096 SR 525, Langley, WA