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1951-2017
Stephen Mark McKenney, 66, of Grand Junction, Colorado passed away peacefully in his sleep, of natural causes on July 17, 2017. He was born June 15, 1951 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to loving parents John and Naomi McKenney. Steve grew up in Houston, Texas where he graduated from Spring Woods High School in 1969. He attended Texas State University (formerly Southwest Texas State University), after which he lived and worked primarily in Texas for several years. Steve was a skilled carpenter and talented tradesman in many areas, including home construction, remodeling, building and grounds maintenance, and appliance repair. He moved to Colorado in 1978 in order to lend his support and skills to his sister Nadeen during a critical time in the Stalder family’s construction business, stepping in to supervise several major construction sites in the Denver foothills. Steve became enamored with Colorado and decided to stay. While living in Denver, he met and fell in love with Mary Greening Silver and her two young daughters. Steve, Mary, Elizabeth and Jennie moved to Grand Junction in 1982 where he worked for Unocal, an oil shale processing company. Steve and Mary later married and the girls officially became McKenneys. After Mary’s passing in 1992, Steve, Liz and Jennie lived in Texas for a time, where they were lovingly embraced by supportive family friends. Steve was drawn back to Colorado after falling in love with Sandra Osmus of Grand Junction. They were married for 20 years and have two children, Dylan and Sidney. To his delight, Steve experienced the joys of fatherhood again in midlife. Although Steve’s life had many challenges, it was equally filled with family that he deeply cherished and dear friends he made over the years.
Stephen is survived by his children, Dylan McKenney, Sidney McKenney, Elizabeth McKenney, and Jennie Schmidt McKenney; sisters, Nadeen Stalder, Patricia Webb, and Maxine Reiter; and former wife Sandra McKenney. He is preceded in death by his parents, Naomi and John McKenney; brother, John McKenney; and wife Mary McKenney.
A celebration of Steve’s life will take place Sunday, September 24th at 3pm at Cameo State Park near Grand Junction.
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Scott C. Smith
Anyone know any more about Steve? Haven't seen him since college at SWT - he lived in the house that became Moss Cliff. Played little league with him on the Shamrocks - he was the only guy that hit a home run. He may have been in Cub Scouts with me also - lived over by Holibrook E.
Joe Mc Clintock
Oh, Scott, you're dredging up very old memories for me. Hollibrook Elementary, the Shamrocks ... I could not remember that Steve was the only one to hit a homerun, but I hit more than one inside the park homerun (if you don't count the opposing team's errors!).
In my first year of football, I was small but fast, and the coach wanted to toughen me up to play running back. We had the so-called "meat grinder" drill, where the coach would lateral to the top of the running backs' line, who would then run between two tacklers. When I got to the front of the line, the coach asked me to step aside. He did the same for Steve, in one of the tacklers' lines. When the next big guy came up in his line, we three were told to step up. I got the lateral, charged as hard as I could, and ... broke my arm! (I did forgive Steve, but not the coach.)
Steve was a very good friend, especially in our early years. Does anyone have an obituary to post?
Louis Bremer Jr.
This is really challenging my memory! I do think that I remember Steve living in the Binglewood neighborhood where we all went to school at Hollibrook Elementary and then later to SWJHS and then to SWHS. A lot of the memories are fuzzy right now but I believe he had a brother and a sister and that their father was killed in a tragic automobile accident. I also remember his mother as being a night shift nurse at Spring Branch Memorial Hospital. I remember playing on a baseball team, it may have been the Shamrocks, I just cannot remember. I remember Steve as being a really friendly outgoing guy that was always fun to be with. I totally lost track of him after I graduated from college. His passing is a sad reminder that we are all getting older.
George R. Lambright (1968)
I grew up in the same neighborhood with Steve, and went to Hollibrook with him. He was a friend since childhood, and was a good person. My sincerest condolences go out to his family.
G.
William (Bill) Newell
Hearing from you guys remind me of good times at Holibrook Elem and the Samrocks with those all green uniforms. I remember playing and riding bikes with Steve. I believe that his dad was killed in an auto accident on evening when we were still in Elementary School or maybe Junior High. I lost track of him during Junior High. My deepest condolences to his family. God Speed Steve.
Bill Newell