Stephen L. Ranney

Stephen Lowell Ranney September 15, 1948 – July 17, 2026 Steve Ranney was a man of subtle humor, many interests and many talents. He composed two songs (known only to family members) and published a newsletter on adapting western technology to third world settings. He was the founding and only member of the Stoic Movement, an inside family joke loosely based on the historical philosophy of Stoicism. He had a great and varied love of music, ranging from obscure and experimental classical and jazz to Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead. He loved education and study and continued to listen to college courses on various scientific and historical topics right up until he could no longer work the MP3 player. His inquiring mind led him to delve deeply into everything from shortwave radios to languages to gardening. He loved walking and nature and was a devoted and lifelong Christian. Throughout many Church homes and many jobs, in many different places and many circumstances, he inspired the people around him to think, to laugh, and to love him, and he will be greatly missed. Stephen Ranney was born and raised in Portland, Oregon to James Lowell and Agnes Ranney. The younger brother of 3-year-old Carol Ranney, Steve and Carol were blessed with two more siblings, David Ranney in 1956 and Linda (Ranney) Broussard in 1958. After graduating High School, Steve briefly attended college before enlisting in the army, where he served first in Danang, Vietnam as a morse code operator, and then was stationed in Kassel, Germany before completing his service and returning to Oregon. He completed his degree at Southern Oregon University and then returned home where met the love of his life, Karen Arb, at his childhood church, Central Bible. They were married on July 26, 1975. A lifelong seeker of knowledge, Steve and Karen moved to Dallas, Texas, where he continued his education with a masters in church history from Dallas Theological Seminary. As part of his master thesis, he produced a hand drawn comic strip of the life of Count Ludwig Von Zinzendorf, a key figure in the early Moravian Church movement. While Steve would continue his passion for church history and theology throughout his life, he would not end up employed by a church for many years, and looking for a reliable job, he began to study computer programming. He was employed for many years at Red Lion Hotels, among other companies, as a computer specialist. Steve and Karen welcomed a son, Colin Ranney, in March of 1982, and not too long after the family moved across the Columbia River to neighboring Vancouver, Washington, where they put down roots in the fledgling Minnehaha Church. After the merger and dissolution of Red Lion Hotels, Steve started working for Minnehaha (by then changed to Glenwood) and worked there until his retirement. Colin Ranney and Margaret Antonelli were married on August 1, 2009, and on July 26, 2011, thirty five years to the day after their wedding, Steve and Karen welcomed their first and only grandchild, Milo Luna Ranney into the family. Living only 10 blocks away, the two families spent a great deal of time together, at home and on vacation at the Oregon Coast. Never one to sit idle, in retirement Steve quickly found a new occupation, as a substitute aid in special education for the Evergreen School District, where he worked part time. Steve also was an active member in Steve and Karen’s new church home, St. Andrew Lutheran, where he helped with sound, website production, and ran the science experiments at Vacation Bible School for many years. Stephen is survived by his wife Karen; three siblings, Carol, David and Linda; son and daughter-in-law Colin and Maggie, and granddaughter Milo.

Stephen L. Ranney

September 15, 1948 - July 17, 2026