Vern William Steck (Feb. 18, 1934 in Powell, Wyo – April 13, 2013) was an American violinist. He was encouraged almost from birth to pursue music: His father was a violinist who had returned to his family’s farm during the Depression, and his mother held a variety of jobs to finance their only child’s musical education. At times, the parents were forced to choose between buying their son new toys and taking him to concerts by such violinists as Jascha Heifetz and Yehudi Menuhin.