Steve & Kathy Gorforth

I get to meet many interesting individuals with my job. I love getting to know my clients on a personal basis.

This month in particular one of my clients really captivated my attention. If you haven’t heard this story about Steve Gorforth and his wife Kathy, then this will make you smile and acknowledge there is true love, hope and faith out there. First I would like to share a poem Steve wrote. It is beautiful and heart felt, it will give you an idea about who Steve is and where his heart is.

HEAVEN
Is there a Heaven?
Most certainly there is!
Heaven is a place of peace.
A place where love lives and thrives everyday.
A place of utmost happiness.
Why am I so sure Heaven exists?
I know because I live there.
I am not a celestial being of perfection,
Far from it, I am just a simple man.
I can however enjoy and appreciate the expanse
And shear magnitude of a clear night,
With a million starts shimmering over my head.
If I believe Heaven is a place of
Peace, Love and Happiness,
Then this must be Heaven.
I have found my place in this world.
Or perhaps this place is in my mind, heart and soul.
Each day I awake and give thanks for this life,
Filled with challenges and sadness.
Yet, I write at this moment, my thoughts
Filled with an abundance of caring
For my loved ones and those I share my life with.
In my world those I love
Know they are loved by my actions,
Not just by my words.
UNCONDITIONALLY!
If you are one of these special people,
I hope you will share in my wondrous life.
Share with me my satisfaction
And true moments of happiness.
This must be HEAVEN.

Steve and Kathy met 35 years ago in Sand Point, Idaho. Steve had moved to the Northwest from Southern California. He was working for a Chevron Station in Sand Point and Kathy was living with the people who owned it. Steve told me Kathy would bring him lunch and they instantly liked each other. He told me that one day he walked in the office and Kathy was crying, he asked her what was wrong and they looked at each other and they knew instantly they were the one for each other. That was in August 1974. They were married October 21st of that same year.  Steve and Kathy were each others first loves. Neither had ever even dated other people.

Steve and Kathy moved from Sand Point to Spokane. Steve went to work for Corporate Napa and worked his way from Driver to Assistant Local Division Manager.

Steve told me he had some family in this area and they loved the area, so in August of 1997 Steve and Kathy had the opportunity to purchase the Longview store. Two years later they purchased the Napa store in Castle Rock.

The Goforth’s have two children, Melany age 34, and Steve age 31. Both are successful individuals, of which the Goforth’s are extremely proud.

In early 2009, the Goforth family was thrown a curveball of life.

Kathy was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. In Kathy’s case, her cancer had escaped her colon into her liver. Kathy’s first chemo therapy treatment was the one most commonly used in the US for colon cancer, but unfortunately, was not effective.

Kathy’s doctor, Dr. Ellis, decided to do a European Program chemical treatment, as well as natural healing methods of eating organically and completely changing her eating habits and lifestyle.

Kathy completed 10 weeks of chemotherapy protocol and did everything her doctor told her to do: no red meats, pork, high fructose corn syrup or chlorine, and to eat only organically as much as possible. Some of the organic foods may be more expensive but as Steve smiled and said, “How much is your life worth?”

October 21st, 2009 represented Steve and Kathy’s 35th wedding anniversary. (Congratulations!!) Steve mentioned Kathy wanted only “two things for their anniversary. One, was for her scan to come back good and two, was for a McDonald’s Double Cheese Burger with French Fries!!”

Kathy had a clear scan in late October that shows both improvement on both the cancer and the tumors! So, Steve and Kathy celebrated their anniversary at Mcdonald’s where Kathy had her cheeseburger and fries.

“I even found Coca Cola made in Mexico that uses cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. What dinner at Mcdonald’s would be complete without the Coke to go with it?” Coke is Kathy’s favorite drink, of course…

The underlying question was “What’s next?”.

“Nobody really knows for sure”, replied Steve.

“We’ll just take one day at a time”.

But for now, things are good. They are happy to be together. Steve and Kathy Goforth clearly have a fairy tale love story, and it shines through Steve’s eyes as he speaks of her.

Steve and Kathy are two truly inspirational individuals. If you are ever in the Longview Napa store, mention to the guys at the counter you read this article and tell Steve and Kathy hello. You won’t be sorry you did – they are fantastically incredible people.

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