Obituary

Steven Robert Braden, age 72 of Goodyear, AZ died peacefully on February 14, 2020, surrounded by family. He was born May 29, 1947, in Frankfort, IN, the oldest of three sons born to Ralph and Kathryn Braden. The family moved to Anaheim, CA when Steve was age 12. He graduated from Savannah High School in Anaheim and went on to serve in the Air Force. While attending high school, Steve met Kayrene Moore and the high school sweethearts married prior to Steve being sent overseas. He later received a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science from the University of San Francisco.

Steve began working for the New York Life Insurance Company. He stayed with the company for 33 years, beginning as an Agent, becoming a Managing Partner, then a Zone Vice President, and finally a Senior Vice President. He loved working for NY Life and cherished the relationships he had with his coworkers. He spent many hours training, mentoring, and offering a listening ear and wise counsel to those he worked with. He was an extraordinary man who knew how to make things happen. Ideas were quickly brought to fruition under his practiced direction.

Retirement brought new opportunities to serve and mentor. Steve spent many hours leading men’s Christian Fellowship Groups in California prior to moving to PebbleCreek and continued at Palm Valley Church here in AZ. He firmly believed that men should gather together to encourage and support each other. He was a member of the Desert Springs Community Church.  He established the Unit 54 men’s breakfast group and thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet new people. Steve was warm and caring and was known for his attentiveness to communicating with his friends and family often.

He was a member of the PebbleCreek Men’s 9-hole group. He was the captain of one bocce ball team and played on another bocce ball team as well. He also belonged to the Putter’s Club and the American Italian Club. He valued the time he spent fishing with his friends and filling the freezer with halibut and salmon.

Steve traveled extensively throughout the United States as part of his job and he and Kayrene enjoyed additional travel to many different countries. They lived in Japan for two years and Steve consulted in China for 3 years after his retirement. He and Kayrene had some wonderful trips throughout Asia during that time.

His greatest joy came from spending time with his family. He was especially mindful of his grandchildren and the role he wanted to play in their lives. He had a strong desire to imprint on his grandchildren the values he held dear. He shared his love of baseball with a grandson and they frequently attended Angels and Diamondback games together. He loved to attend his grandsons’ baseball games and band concerts and rarely missed any event in which they were involved. He cherished the special relationships he had with his granddaughters and loved visiting them in Idaho. He treasured his family and loved them deeply. He had a positive attitude in adversity, a grateful heart and seemed to always have a smile for everyone.

Steve is survived by his wife of 52 years, Kayrene Braden; sons, Matthew (Julie) and Marc (Krista) Braden; brothers, Stan (Janette) and Brad (Trudy) Braden; two grandsons, Carter and Chase; and three granddaughters, Sarah, Stephanie, and Sophia and his mother, Kathryn. Condolences for the family may be left