Stephen Glenn Oberg

Stephen Glenn Oberg

Steve Oberg was 76 years old when he passed away on Sept. 5, 2025, in Olympia, Washington. 

Steve was born June 8, 1949, in Portland, Oregon to Glenn and Patricia Oberg. The family moved to Auburn, Washington where he graduated from high school in 1967 and met his future bride, Donna Norton.  He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Chemistry from the University of Washington. There he was awarded National Science Foundation grants to conduct specialized research during the summers. In 1976 Steve completed his Ph.D. in Biochemistry Neuroscience from the University of California, San Francisco.

Steve and Donna were married on Aug. 21, 1971, in Seattle. They lived in San Francisco and Madison, Wisconsin before moving back to Washington. 

Steve worked for 30 years as a marketing and sales professional in the Biotechnology industry for firms that supply chromatography and filtration equipment including LKB Instruments, Amicon Corp/Millipore, Molecular Devices, and Cellex Biosciences. Steve enjoyed working with researchers to support achieving scientific research goals.

In his younger years he loved outdoor activities including skiing, camping and biking. Traveling for work and pleasure was a highlight of Steve’s life. He traveled the Western US, Canada and Russia for his professional work and to China, Spain, Ecuador, Costa Rica, France, Sweden, England, Italy, and Germany for pleasure.

Steve also loved music. He played the trumpet  in his high school band and enjoyed listening to jazz and one of his favorite artists, Eric Clapton.  Steve was a generous supporter of organizations that serve people in need.

In retirement, Steve and Donna moved from Renton to Olympia to be closer to family. He was an avid sports fan watching or attending football, basketball and baseball games. With more time on his hands, he became a bookaholic, averaging three books a week — primarily history and murder mysteries. Steve and Donna traveled often to their second home in Seaside, Oregon along with their devoted labs Bella and Beau. The dogs loved chasing balls and playing with Steve on the beach. 

Steve and Donna’s family include daughter Nicole Marie Leyster and her husband Charles and sons Grayson and Lincoln; son Russell Kim Oberg’s family includes Emily, Allison and Tabitha.

Steve is survived by his siblings Michael Oberg, Janice Kedrie, Christopher Oberg, and Cecelia Tanzer.

In lieu of flowers please consider donations to:

Thurston County Food Bank, PO Box 11549, Olympia, WA 98508

Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), PO Box 5042, Hagerstown, MD 21741