Studer, Steven Henry (1945-2024)

STUDER, SCHEPPMANN, FISCUS, O’HARA

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 9/27/2024 at 15:59:24

Name of deceased: Steven Henry Studer

Aged: 79 yrs, 4 mo, 1 day

Residence: Grenada, West Indies

Born: April 4, 1945; Algona, Kossuth County, IA

Died: Aug. 5, 2024; Irwin, Shelby County, IA

Funeral services: Celebration of Life: Sept 21, 2024; The 3rd Street Post, Stillwater, MN; ashes will be scattered in Grenada in the Spring 2025

Survived by: Wife, Hope; sisters, Kay, Margaret, and Rose; brother, Jerry; the extended Studer and McMahon families; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Julius P. and Willemina (“Minnie”) H. (nee Scheppmann) Studer

Education: Attended Catholic schools, beginning at St Joseph’s Catholic School, Wesley, IA, until he was part of the first graduating class of Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona, IA. While at Garrigan, Steve played trombone, was in theater, and athletics: He played baseball, basketball and football. Football was his first love and was the sport which took him to college at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, where he played for the Tigers while he got his BA. He pursued getting MA while living in the Twin Cities, and later worked towards his Ed. S degree.

Religious affiliation: No information provided

Military service: No information provided

Marriages: (1) Donna K. Fiscus; April 14, 1973; Dakota County, MN. They divorced Aug. 1992 (2) Hope O’Hara; date and location not provided

Employment: While he was pursuing his MA and teaching, Steve began coaching football and basketball at various schools in the Twin Cities. Steve’s teaching career first took him to St. Paul (MN) Central High school, where he taught English and coached both football and girls’ basketball. In 1976, Steve coached the basketball team to the first girls’ basketball championship in Minnesota history. In the late ‘70s, Steve was working toward an Ed. S degree when Don Hovland, principal at Stillwater (MN) Jr. High School, recruited Steve. Together, the two men led their school to National Exemplary status twice, which was one of the proudest events in Steve’s career.

Hobbies/Interests: Outside of work, he played fast-pitch softball in a 5-state league, and competitively played mixed doubles tennis before beginning to raise dogs. Under the name BearHill Kennels, Steve bred, raised, trained, and competed with his dogs throughout the upper Midwest as well as serving on the national board of directors of the Amateur Field Trial Clubs of America. Steve’s dog, BearHill Bob, won the National Grouse Dog Championship in 1991. He loved to cook and was happiest when he was cooking for friends and family. Additionally, Steve was interested in conservation, energy efficiency, unique buildings and different ways of living so began to build houses, trying new and old techniques in both structure and design. Over time, he built a cedar and glass teepee, a log house, a Danish modern house, and a straw bale house, then lived on a boat, and finally in a restored theater/library. When he died, he was looking at grain bins.

Sources: harlanonline.com; ancestry.com, Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2022