Steven Gerald Wellington, age 29, was born January 17, 1992 in Salt Lake City Utah and left us on February 8, 2021. His creativity and brilliance was evidenced early in life. He was always looking to make any project exceptionally different and examining accepted norms before adopting them for himself. This creative and insightful mindset drove and fed him throughout his life. As a child his first entrepreneurial venture was making Cat-master business cards for the acquisitions of feral cats he intended to trap and sell using a cage he built in his little red wagon. He made marionette puppets. He again became an entrepreneur, setting up a booth to sell wind chimes he made along the Jordan River Parkway, this time with greater success. In addition to art, he grew up loving nature, animals, and drama. At age twelve he acquired an agent and his roles included commercials and playing Chris Pines’s character as a child in the movie Blind Dating. 

Murray High School students remember him for his antics in the improv group he helped create and for his reinvention of the boneless, flailing-armed gatekeeper in the Wizard of Oz. He thrived in the filmmaking program taught and nurtured by Ryan Moffet, taking first place for state in the Skills USA Filmmaking category both his junior and senior years and taking third in the nation his senior year. He graduated with scholarships and remained an example, setting the bar for later filmmaking classes. 

After high school his interests turned to music. He studied for and became a sound engineer. He enjoyed having the music he created played at the Area 54 club and sharing it online and with friends and family.

Always an amazing artist looking to create something different, he reworked clocks into moving sculptures. Steven's latest endeavor in creativity was deciding he would learn to paint. His paintings were exhibited in cafes and exhibits and he soon acquired and painted a commission. 

He actively looked for opportunities to participate in life and meet people. His love of animals and concerns for ethical living led him to make friends in Vegan meet-ups and become a strong advocate for animal welfare. He joined a snowshoeing group, the Liberty Park drum circle, and the ninth and nine bicycling group. Steven was a great friend to his grandmother, taking her to garage sales and keeping her company when she experienced dementia. He lived in the moment and never stopped being amazed by nature. Both as a child and an adult, this love of nature lengthened hikes as he stopped to see everything along the way. He was a prankster and loved to surprise people. He kept friends on their toes by asking unexpected questions, then requiring explanations which forced them to really think. He was a teacher to those around him. He could be a good listener and offered fresh and unique perspectives. His daily choice was to look for the good, sharing an optimistic perspective to complaints of others. 

Steven is survived by his brothers, Adam Swenson of Salt Lake City, Utah and Eric Swenson of Boston, Massachusetts, his sisters Kyra and Daniella Wellington of South Weber, Utah, his mother Tawnie Johnson and Stepfather Gary Johnson of Murray, Stepmother Erika Waldrip of South Weber, Utah, Grandfather Gerald Wellington of Bountiful, Utah.

He is preceded in death by his father Mark Wellington of Clinton, Utah, his grandmother Jeannie Wellington of Bountiful, his grandparents Parry and Lawana Draper of Midvale.

Viewing will be held at Memorial Lake Hills 10055 South State, Sandy Utah from 1:00-2:00. Private services will be from 2:00-3:00 and can be viewed live stream. Internment will be at Memorial Lake Hills Cemetery 10055 South State Street, Sandy, Utah. Masks and social distancing are required. For streaming instructions please go to MemorialUtah.com