Obituary
Stephen Degolier
Brohmer died December 19, 2025, at home with his family in Crescent City
California. He was born in 1940 during the depression and committed his life to
“helping people help themselves.”
Following college,
Stephen spent two years with his first wife, Sherry Brickle serving in the
Peace Corps to develop a system of foster care in Turkey. He received a master’s
degree in social work in 1970 and became employed in many aspects of social
welfare in both Kern and Del Norte Counties, ending his career as Director of
DNC Health and social Services (2000) and administrator for Open door Clinic on
A. Street (2006)
Three achievements
from his career are noteworthy: Steve initiated a Child Abuse Prevention
Council in Bakersfield in 1972 and coordinated with Senator Walter Stern to
legislate the current child abuse reporting laws for California. Secondly, as
DNHSS Director in 1981 he convinced Herman and Cheyenne Spetzler of Open-Door
Clinics, of Humboldt to establish a clinic in Del Norte County. Often called “A.
Street clinic,” it started in a house and grew into the Wellness Center on
Washington Blvd. Again, looking out for the county’s interests, Steve
facilitated the transfer of social services programs out of the old High School
building on H Street, Into a new facility on Northcrest Drive, which allowed
county offices to move out of rented portable buildings into the refurbished
high school. This benefited almost every county department.
The surviving
Brohmer family members include his sister Judy Appleby of San Francisco, wife
of 51 years Karen Brohmer, daughter Elizabeth Piper, husband Mark, grandsons J
and Scott; daughter Jennifer McNamara, husband Robert, and Granddaughter Elyse.
Steve’s friends will remember him as an avid ready with quick humor. An
outstanding track star at “Speed City” San Jose; a backpacker and kayaker, on
both rivers and ocean; and as an admirer of the redwoods. Private services will
follow in Summer 2026. Stephen participated with many organizations while
living forty-five years in Del Norte.
He asked that memorials be sent to the local
Habitat for Humanity at P.O. Box 993, Crescent City, CA 95531 which embodies
the mission of “helping people help themselves:”