Steven J. Reichenauer (1956-2020)

REICHENAUER

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 4/20/2020 at 16:51:32

Steven J. Reichenauer, 63, of Peosta, Iowa passed away Monday, April 13, 2020 at his home due to a medical condition.

Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic we will be unable to give Steve a traditional funeral tribute at this time. Instead a private family services will be held with burial in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Farley, Iowa. A celebration of life for Steve will be announced at a later date. The Reiff Funeral Home in Farley, Iowa is in charge of arrangements.

Steven was born November 30, 1956 at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, Iowa. He was the pride and joy of his parents, Peter and Mary Jane Reichenauer. Steve was a caring, loving, friendly, thoughtful, hardworking and conscientious person who also had a sense of humor. His Mom’s well being was foremost in his heart and mind. A few days before Easter he called the Long Term Care Center and asked that they turn the Easter Sunday Mass on TV for her to watch Easter Sunday morning. Due to the Covid 19 virus and not being able to visit her he stood outside her window at the care center and called her from his cell phone while holding up a sign that said “I Love You”. Steve enjoyed taking his mom out for a ride in what he called a “boat”. It was his 1978 Grand Marque Mercury which was easy for her to get into.

Steve went to Kindergarten at WD school in Farley and went to St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Farley grades 1-11. Due to the closing of St. Joe’s High School he attended 12th grade and graduated from St. Leo’s Catholic School in Holy Cross, IA.

Steve was on the dean’s list at The Morrison Institute of Technology in Morrison, Illinois and graduated with a degree in drafting. His employment included, PB Field Design Manager for Level 3 Network Program in Omaha, ME. Level 3 OSP Manager in Chicago Division, Safety and Health Consultant for Alltel Corporation in Denver, CO and Consultant-Risk Mgmt/Safety SW area/Great Plains/Mtn/Central TX/KS based out of Aurora, CO. For health reasons he retired from Verizon in 2016 and subsequently moved to Peosta, IA bringing him back to his roots and closer to family, especially his Mom.

He was a creative writer and artist. He had a sense of adventure and loved nature especially spending time in the mountains and woods. In his earlier years he was delighted to get a deer with a rack which he skinned and had the head mounted by a taxidermist. On his trips to Costa Rica he zip lined, snorkeled and once accidentally took the natives bus which was an adventurous ride on bumpy washed out roads. While working for Level 3 he spent time in Alaska as he checked the fiber along the Alaska pipeline. While in Alaska, he went out on a fishing boat to catch salmon. On his buckle list was the only remaining state of Hawaii that he had left to visit. He was An excellent cook and liked to share how he made his special potatoes, asparagus and salmon which was his favorite fish. Due to neck and back pain he just finished, with a friend’s help building a raised garden plot so that he could garden without bending over. Steve also adopted his friend Rick’s pig and called him Arnold.

Although dealing with neck and back pain he didn’t like to complain and always tried to make the best of it and not dwell on the pain even though it often kept him from doing the things he loved. He said he prayed for his family every morning. His favorite prayers were the Serenity Prayer and the Memorare. While our hearts break at the loss of our dear son and brother, Steve is now with the Dad that he lost at a young age and he is no longer in pain.

He is survived by his Mother, Mary Jane Reichenauer of Cascade, IA;3 sisters, Phyllis Koschmeder of Marion, IA , Linda (Larry) Winkelbauer of Somers, IA and Carol (Jerry) Funke of Hiawatha, IA; many nieces and nephews; great nieces and nephews; and a number of aunts and uncles.

He is preceded in death by his dad, Peter; his maternal grandparents, George and Ludvina Recker and Paternal grandparents, Andrew and Veronica Reichenauer.

Memorials may be sent to the Reiff Funeral Home, P.O. Box 99, Farley, Iowa 52046-Atten: Steven Reichenauer family.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com