Stephen Tilford

Stephen Douglas Tilford passed away January 28 2020, from complication from a dental procedure done locally. Steve was born on July 30, 1930 at St Francis Hospital, to Douglas Tilford and Caroline Martin Tilford. He attended Monte Vista Elementary, LA Cumbre junior high and Santa Barbara High School class of 1948. He enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed in England. In 1954 he married Marlen Squirer, and started working in the sheetmetal business. They moved to Carpinteria and had two children Lisa and John, they lived there till 1969. He worked as a journeyman metal worker and started welding for his employer at the time. He got divorced and decided to start his own company Tilford Welding. During this time he raced off road, racing in the Baja 1000, Mint 400, and many more. He later was support crew for an IMSA car, and numerous land speed car projects. He was the go to guy for welding projects out of the normal. His son John joined him in the late 70s, together they had many adventures with racing projects and hot rod modification, occasionally being written about which he always down played as just doing his job. He married Virginia Wood, he retired in 1989, and moved to Coeur d Alene Idaho, and later Spokane Washington. He lived in the pacific northwest till 2012 when he came back to live in Carpinteria. He said he wanted to come home to be with family and enjoy his days walking and riding his bike. He had one more project in him so at the age of 83 he started helping out Martin Loge build a aluminum body for his Maserati 450 project car. He had a great time helping with the project, which turn out to be his swan song. Dad leaves behind ex wife Marlen, ex wife Virginia, daughter Lisa Kelly (Conrad), son John (Janet), grandsons Stephen Corral(Lily), Greg Corral (Lucia), great grand kids Sophia , Matteo, Simone, and Gianna. He fondly remembered Dick and Don Stevens, Kelly Conley and Stacy Moore and numerous long time customers. Dad I think would like to be remembered with a smile and a nod.