Steven Mark Lehmer was carried peacefully in the arms of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into eternity at sunrise on July 14, 2022. His wife and sons were by his side through the night, listening to his favorite hymns, singing, reading Scripture, and sharing many memories. He was 74 years old.
Steven was born on March 6, 1948, in Pomona, California to Silas and Esther Lehmer. As a child, he would play and adventure in his father’s orange groves. The solitude was a gift of time for Steven to master many skills, allowing him to become an Orange County yo-yo champion, model car building competition medalist, kite making contest winner, and scale train aficionado. In his teen years he developed a passion for fast motorcycles and cars. He owned a 1965 Triumph Bonneville Motorcycle 650cc, the world’s fastest bike at the time; and a Plymouth Mopar 389 HP which he drove to fame at Lions Drag Strip to become Orange County’s fastest private-owned drag racing car at the time. At Loara High he developed his athletic potential and played football for three years, achieving All State distinction, as well as setting and holding the SoCal discus record for several years. He attended the University of Southern California in 1967 on a football scholarship, where he became the only sophomore starter, commencing every game as an offensive guard, playing on the 1967 National Championship team, making two Rose Bowl appearances, earning All West Coast Honours for three years and All American Honours for two years. On the NCAA track and field championship team he won a varsity letter in the discus throw and participated in the shot put. In 1970 he graduated with a B.A. (Hons) Psychology, was named Academic All American and awarded an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship.
An ankle injury halted his sports career so he decided to pursue his childhood love of medicine, entering USC School of Medicine and graduating in 1975. He completed a general surgery internship at UCI and was an ER physician and general physician for three and a half years.
Steven married his wife, Debra, in 1980, and together they pursued his surgical medical career. Beginning with moving to Manhattan, NY in 1981 for a four-year Orthopaedic Residency at New York University/Bellevue Hospital Medical Center, where he became an assistant team physician for the New York Yankees Baseball Club in 1984/1985. Followed by a move to Memphis, TN in 1985 for a one-year Hand Fellowship at the Campbell Clinic, and then to California in 1986 to open a private practice in Orthopaedic and Hand surgery in Auburn. His family grew with Joshua born in NYC, Sarah in Memphis and Jonathan in Auburn.
After five years of a flourishing practice he closed his office and moved his family to pursue his passion for spinal surgery for 18 months of extensive training at The Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH and at The London Clinic in London, England. He returned to Northern California to open Sierra Spine Institute and performed the first spine surgery at Sutter Roseville Medical Center. Throughout, he authored numerous publications and presentations.
Steven’s community involvement included serving on the Elder board at First Baptist Church in Auburn; BSA-Troop 783 parent committee and as a Scoutmaster; Forest Lake Christian School Board member, along with providing physicals and photography for sports events; and chaperoning Crossroads Church youth activities including hosting high school summer youth group.
Never one who aspired to retirement, he continued to assist in surgery, was a medical legal consultant, and was the orthopaedic physician for the Sacramento County Jail’s weekly orthopaedic clinic until illness prevented him from doing so in 2020.
He relaxed handcrafting walking sticks from branches he collected on his travels, painting “Bob Ross” landscapes, cutting his roses for bouquets, making smoked brisket, spending time with family and playing with Hannah, his granddaughter. Steven chose to adopt Hannah, desiring to raise her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. His travels were always educational with the most memorable being to the Holy Land and family trips to Europe.
As a good steward of his God-given talents, Steven’s life was governed by the biblical principle, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Eccles. 9:10a). Family was of the utmost importance to him and he made it a priority to be involved in each of his children’s lives, attending their activities even while running a busy surgical practice. He was a doctor known to make house calls. His belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour was his ultimate strength and Micah 6:8 describes his life: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
His boisterous laugh, quirky sense of humor, spontaneous antics, curious mind, and wisdom will be missed by all! He is survived by his devoted wife of 42 years, Debra; children, Joshua Lehmer, Sarah Lehmer, and Jonathan (Jen) Lehmer; one grandchild, Hannah Lehmer; sister, Rebecca (Murry) Darch; niece, Kristin (Rick) Christensen; plus additional loved ones.
In lieu flowers, please send your donations to “CEF NorCal Greater Sacramento Area – cefnorcal.org/gsa” or “The Gideons International – gideons.org.”
“A CELEBRATION OF STEVEN’S LIFE” will be held on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Crossroads Church, 10050 Wolf Road, Grass Valley, CA. 95949
