Timothy Mark Steichen of Port Orchard died peacefully May 28 surrounded by family, friends and the soft music of the song Blackbird. He was 73.

He was born in Bremerton’s Harrison Memorial Hospital on July 11, 1952, and lived his entire life in the Port Orchard area.

He was a kind, loving man who treasured time with his daughter, Lily. Sometimes, he’d take her along as he drove, and occasionally burned donuts, on the sands of Washington’s Long Beach peninsula. He loved to dig for razor clams, and now and then he’d drive out to the peninsula tip known as Leadbetter Point to hunt the old clams he named mossybacks.

Tim also liked cats, ice cream, hunting for treasure, the outdoors, and playing Rummy and other card games with friends and family. Most of all, he loved cars, especially Chevys. He made model cars as a boy and wrenched together old roadsters as a teen. He repaired, restored, bought and sold hundreds of cars as his livelihood. He had a wealth of friends, and a love for cars bound them together. He will be missed by all of us lucky enough to know and love him.

Tim graduated from South Kitsap High School in 1970 and attended Tacoma Community College. He is survived by his partner, Barbara; daughter, Lily Steichen; sister, Karin Steichen Graves and husband, Bill Graves; nephews, Mark and Max Graves; and niece, Emma Graves and her two children, Jayden and Jaxson. A celebration of Tim’s life is planned for July 11.