Stephen C. "Steve" Haller

Stephen C. “Steve” Haller, 74 of Sioux City, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 4, 2023 in his home, surrounded by his loving family.  Abiding by family wishes, cremation has taken place, and a Prayer Service will be at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 16, 2023 at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel with Reverend Kenny Hsu officiating.  Visitation, with the family present, will begin at 6:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.  Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Sioux City at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, or the Sioux City Warming Shelter.

Steve was born on October 8, 1949 in Sioux City, Iowa to Frank and Kay (Duryea) Haller.  Steve attended Roosevelt and Smith grade schools, West Junior High, and graduated from Central High School in 1968.  He then attended Doane College in Crete, Nebraska graduating in 1972 with a degree in Sociology.  Steve worked in Sioux City various Youth Programs, and in 1976 started at Job Service of Iowa in Sioux City as a Workforce Advisor.  He assisted countless clients over the years with finding employment and obtaining unemployment benefits.  Steve retired in 2010 after 34 years of employment with the State of Iowa.

Steve married Mary Lou Pietz on June 25, 1977 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sioux City.  Michael (1978) and Matthew (1981) completed their family.  When Mike and Matt were young, Steve and Mary kept busy with school activities, baseball games, fishing, camping, and entertaining Mike and Matt’s many friends.

Steve was a wonderful husband, son, big brother to 5 sisters, and the best dad and grandpa to his 6 grandchildren.  Steve loved spending time with his family, always helping Mary with lots of babysitting and taking frequent trips to Springville, Iowa to spend time with Matt and his family.  He was an avid reader and had a great sense of humor, which he never lost even during his battle with cancer.

After Mary retired in 2012, they took advantage of each and every day.  They started each morning together with coffee and conversation.  They traveled often with trips to Yellowstone National Park, the Black Hills, Okoboji, Arizona, Branson, Missouri, and frequent camping trips.  Mary even talked Steve into a bus trip to Northern Michigan.  They also loved to cruise and enjoyed several trips to the Caribbean, an Alaskan cruise, and two 14-day cruises to Hawaii – the last one in February of this year.

Steve was a friend to many.  As an Iowa State Cyclone fan, he even counted several Iowa Hawkeye fans as close friends.

Steve is survived by Mary, his wife of 46 years; son Mike and his wife Amy of Sioux City and their children Grant, Caitlyn, Jackson, and Bennett; son Matt and his wife Sarah of Springville, Iowa and their children Clara and Nolan; sisters Deb Sturzl, Patty (Gary) Walters, Cathy (Rob) McClary, and Carrie (Dave) Knapp; aunt Cheri Archer; brother-in-law Steve Griffith; sisters-in-law Carolyn Pietz and Marlene Pietz; many nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, father and mother-in-law Albert and Clara Pietz, sister Barb Griffith, brothers-in-law Ron Pietz and Bruce Sturzl, and nieces Stephanie Griffith and Anne Pietz.

Mary and family would like to express their thanks to Hospice of Siouxland for their support and assistance in caring for Steve during these last difficult days.

Special thanks also to close friends who have supported Steve and Mary these past few months, Jim and Lisa Mascarello, Doug and Michelle Marks and their daughter Miranda, Bill and Jill Flynn, Arden Jasper, and Gayle Gregg.