Steven R. Allendorf (1956-2021)

ALLENDORF, BROWN, HUNZELMAN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 2/14/2021 at 16:54:14

Steven “Steve” R. Allendorf, 65, Galena, passed away suddenly at Midwest Medical Center in Galena on Friday, February 12, 2021 after a long battle with juvenile diabetes and heart disease. Steve was born on Feb. 10, 1956, in Dubuque, Iowa – the son of Kenneth “Pete” and Ada (Hunzelman) Allendorf. Steve married Dianne (Brown) in July, 1977, at St. Mary’s Church in Elizabeth. They had one child together, Christopher, born in 1984.

A Galena native, Steve grew up at the family’s farm on Gear Street. Later in life, Steve always talked about buying an antique tractor like the one they had on the farm, much to the dismay of Dianne and Chris. Steve attended St. Mary’s School, and then Galena High School, where he graduated with the class of 1974. He attended Rock Valley College and received his Associate’s Degree in Police Science. Steve was very proud of the fact that later in his career as sheriff he was able to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Dubuque (admittedly, with some help from Dianne and Chris).

From his time as a hall monitor at St. Mary’s School, Steve was destined for a career in law enforcement. He was still in high school when he started with the Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office at the old jail, under Sheriff Marlo Specht, eventually becoming a deputy sheriff. He then worked as a patrolman with the Galena Police Department and was promoted to sergeant. Steve was also an EMT with the Galena Ambulance.

It was while he was with Galena P.D. that Steve ran for sheriff in 1986 and won. Steve would go on to be re-elected 4 times, retiring as sheriff after 19 years in 2005. While sheriff, Steve served a term as president of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association. Later, Steve was selected to attend the FBI’s National Academy for local and state law enforcement. Chris and Dianne will always remember their trip to D.C. to visit Steve at the academy.

Steve was extremely proud of his law enforcement service and grateful for the relationships he made throughout his career. He was very proud to see his employees and colleagues succeed and achieve their own dreams as he had done by becoming sheriff. Steve was a firm-believer in seeing the potential in people, as well as second chances, which those on both sides of the law would attest to. After retiring, Steve worked for several architectural firms that specialized in government buildings. He also enjoyed working part-time for the Elizabeth and Stockton Police Departments. Prior to Covid, he found his second work passion as a substitute teacher. Most recently, Steve was serving on the Jo Daviess County Board as its Vice Chair.

Steve and Dianne loved to travel. Their favorite destinations were Puerto Vallarta and cruising to Alaska, trips they made numerous times. Steve fondly remembered a trip to Germany with Chris, though they both commiserated about the climb up to Neuschwanstein Castle in the German Alps, as well as the hotel that Chris booked in a less-than-reputable part of Munich.

Above all else, Steve was most proud of his son, Chris. Steve enjoyed nothing more than watching Chris succeed and he didn’t hesitate to mention it to anyone who asked. His proudest moment was seeing Chris’s swearing-in as Jo Daviess County State’s Attorney in January of this year, following in dad’s footsteps of law enforcement service for the county he loved. Chris is grateful that his dad was there to see it, but he is very sorry that he will not be around to give him campaign advice, something he knows Steve would’ve relished.

He is survived by his wife, son, (granddog Baron), his step-mother, Mildred (Stoewer) and her family, his brothers Kenny (Carol) and Tom (Karen), sister, Margaret (Steve) Vandermyde, and nieces and nephews, Aunt Vivian Allendorf, Uncle Gerald (Pauline) Allendorf, and numerous cousins. He is also survived by his father-in-law, James (Betty) Brown and mother-in-law Pat Brown, his brothers-in-law Mark (Becky), Mike (Jane), David (Dena), and Kevin (Dana) Brown, and his sister-in-law Kathy (Rex) Kreuder, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Steve was predeceased by his parents, grandparents John and Anna Allendorf and Ivan and Emilie Hunzelman, and uncles and aunts Melvin and Betty Schultz, John “Bud” Allendorf, Charles and Mary Schultz, and Patricia Bruns.

Steve will be greatly missed by those that knew him. The family would like to thank Sheriff Kevin Turner and the Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Lori Huntington and the Galena Police Department, all of his law enforcement family, the Galena Ambulance Service, and the staff at Midwest Medical Center. Miller Funeral Home, East Dubuque, is handling funeral arrangements.

Due to Covid precautions, the family will be having a private visitation. A private funeral mass at St. Mary’s, Galena, and burial, will occur on February 20th, 2021, at 11:00 A.M. The service will be live-streamed for those who would like to join, on The Miller Funeral Home Group facebook page. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to any of several causes that were dear to Steve: Safe Haven Humane Society, the Illinois Sheriff’s Association, the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund, and the 100 Club of Jo Daviess County. A favorite quote of Steve’s that is inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial: “In valor, there is hope.”

Online condolences may be left for the family @ www.millerfhed.com.©