He was raised on the family farm near Seneca, S.D. He spent his summers working on the farm, showing 4-H livestock and playing baseball. In the 7th grade, the wrestling team needed "lightweight" wrestlers, so this was the beginning of the next 10 years of his life. He wrestled on the varsity wrestling team for Faulkton High School for six years. He was the state champion in 1972 and runner-up in 1971 and 1973. These were also the same years that Faulkton won the state championships in wrestling. During this time, Steve was able to go to Mexico with a team made up from wrestlers around the state for the SD/Mexico Cultural Exchange Program. Steve continued wrestling varsity for 4 years at USD. During this time, Steve had the opportunity to wrestle in Hawaii twice and in numerous other states.
After college, Steve worked for EROS Data Center, Citibank and, most recently, at Sanford Technical Center.
Steve loved to water ski, scuba dive, ride his motorcycle and fly airplanes. Steve had a huge heart and a gift of gab. He would drop whatever he was doing to help out a friend or a friend of a friend of a friend. He would wave at everyone he drove past on the highway and talked to you if you stopped for a second on the street. Steve loved to learn. He was always reading and researching and wanting to make something work better. Steve's best times were golfing with his buddies, going to NASCAR races and going to airshows.
Steve is survived by his siblings: Craig (Tanya) Heller, Fort Pierre; Kim Vennard, Sioux Falls; Tom (Judy) Heller, Seneca; 11 nieces and nephews; and seven great-nieces and -nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Milton and Arlene Heller.
A prayer service in Sioux Falls will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, with visitation one hour prior to the service. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Faulkton, with burial in the Faulkton City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to a wrestling scholarship in Steve's name that will be established at Faulkton High School.
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