Steve Barnett
BARNETT, SHEBETKA, UTHLAUT
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 1/29/2024 at 06:38:45
Steve Barnett of Iowa City, 75, went to be with his Lord on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.
Steven James Barnett was born on July 6, 1948 to James Wood Barnett and Irene Mae (Shebetka) Barnett in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He grew up in Cedar Rapids and was a 1966 graduate of Washington High School. Steve attended the University of Iowa (UI), and after a hiatus, graduated with a degree in Geology.
Steve married Susan Greene on January 7, 1978, at Danforth Chapel in Iowa City, IA. Their union was blessed with two daughters, Keely (Ernst) Uthlaut of New Florence, MO, and Sara Barnett of Cardiff, CA. He is survived by his wife, daughters, and 3 grandchildren - Amelia, Elaina, and Lance Uthlaut. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Scott Barnett.
Steve’s career path was diverse, reflecting his versatility. With a natural aptitude for mechanics, he enjoyed working at various sports car garages in Iowa City before working at Marv Hartwig Datsun, initially as assistant service manager, and later joining the sales team where he passionately paired people with cars. Returning to UI to finish his degree, he continued his passion for teaching, where he inspired incoming students as a graduate teaching assistant in geology. His final working years were spent with River City Packaging (Kansas City).
What defined Steve most was his passion for the outdoors and naturalism. He possessed an insatiable thirst for knowledge across a wide range of subjects, displaying remarkable tenacity in researching and exploring diverse topics. One of his early and significant pursuits involved the discovery and exploration of Coldwater Cave in Northeastern Iowa. He and Dave Jagnow along with a cast of characters explored, mapped, and photographed this cave system. To celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the “discovery” of Coldwater Cave, Dave and Steve along with the encouragement and editing skills of Dave’s wife, LaVonne Jordan, collaborated to write a book “A World Below: The Underwater Discovery and Exploration of Coldwater Cave,” affectionately known as ‘Dave and Steve’s Excellent Adventure.’ This book chronicles their adventures in discovering this hidden wonderland. His most recent obsession was using the Merlin Bird ID cell phone app (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) to help identify birds by descriptions, location, and audio recording.
Steve's insatiable quest for knowledge and his enthusiasm for sharing and teaching left a lasting impact on all who knew him. He particularly loved to share his passions for travel, hiking, and food with his family, inspiring many adventures near and far.
The family wishes to thank Iowa City Hospice and staff for their support and care and the many kindnesses given to us and Steve over the past year.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, January 12, 2024 from 2-4:00 p.m. at Lensing Funeral Home on Kirkwood Avenue in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Iowa City Hospice, World Central Kitchen, or a charity of your choice.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen