Colonel (Ret.) Stephen J Neuendorf, age 73 of Fairfax Station, Virginia, died November 9, 2019.
He was born in Keokuk, Iowa on April 17, 1946 to Hilbert and Jean Neuendorf. He grew up in Farmington, Iowa and graduated from Harmony High School in 1964. He was a high school standout athlete in baseball, basketball, football, and track.
He attended the University of Iowa to study business. He wouldn’t be able to graduate though, as he was drafted in 1968 by the Army to fight in Vietnam. After basic training at Ft. Poke, Louisiana he would test up to Artillery Officer Candidate School and graduate with his commission in 1969. Because he graduated in the top 10% of his OCS class, he was able to choose what he would do next for the Army. Because of his interest in technology he chose the Signal Corps.
From OCS he went to Ft. Gordon, Georgia for Signal Corps Basic where he met his future wife, Marcia Kidd. They meet in the Officers Club in 1970. Luckily for him, she picked him up at the bar.
Marcy and Steve got orders to Vietnam in October of 1970. Steve would arrive first as a Signal Corps officer and was assigned to Landing Zone Liz (aka, LZ Liz). 10 days later, Marcy arrived with the Nursing Corps assigned to the 8thField Hospital.
He was in the country for one year running communication lines between bases and landing zones and earned 2 bronze stars while there.
Steve and Marcy got engaged while on R&R in Hong Kong on July 2, 1971. Four months later on October 30, they married in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. They spent their honeymoon in New Orleans before their assignment at Ft. Hood, Texas. While there, Steve served as a company commander.
Steve and Marcy completed their career courses before being stationed in Germany. They arrived in 1974 and were stationed apart in Stuttgart and Augsburg. While living in Europe, they learned how to ski in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. They travelled to Paris, Rome, Pompeii, the Greek Islands, the Grand Canary Islands, and Egypt. While abroad, Steve earned his degree from the University of Maryland in 1978.
Back in the states, they were assigned to the DC area, where their two daughters were born. Danielle came in 1980, followed by their second daughter, Tiffany, in 1983. Shortly after, they moved to Ft. Lewis, Washington where Steve became a battalion commander.
Steve attended the United States War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1990. In 1991 the family moved back to DC where he became a brigade commander and finished his military career at the Defense Information Systems Agency. He served 29 years in the Army and earned two below-the-zone promotions to Lt. Colonel and Colonel. Until retirement in 2012, he worked as a defense contractor.
He enjoyed his retirement in the DC area watching sports, reading suspense novels, watching his birds in the backyard, and viewing any new sci-fi movies added to Netflix. The family took many trips together to the Shenandoah Mountains and the beach. He also enjoyed spending time with his friends at the American Legion Post 176.
He remained a lifelong Iowa Hawkeye fan and enjoyed texting his sister Sue photos of him in his Hawkeyes shirts. Danielle and Steve had a yearly tradition to attend George Mason University basketball games. Tiffany would later earn her master’s degree from GMU in 2016.
Throughout his life, he made quick friends with anything on four legs. At a young age he adopted an orphaned family of squirrels and continued to love all animals, especially dogs.
In 2018 he was proud to walk Tiffany (and her dog, Coco) down the aisle for her marriage to James Roche.
On October 30 of this year he and the love of his life watched the Washington Nationals win the World Series on their 48th wedding anniversary.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Hilbert and Jean (Beard) Neuendorf and his cousin, Penny Webster (Brent). He is survived by his wife, Marcia (Kidd) Neuendorf; his daughters, Danielle Neuendorf and Tiffany Neuendorf Roche (James); his sister, Susan Pankey (LeRoy); his cousin, Cassie Lawless (Mike); his dog Ida Rose; his grand-dogs Xena and Coco; his nephew Lucas Pankey (wife, Sarah J. and children, Brayden, Caelan, and Collin); and his niece, Sarah Pankey. And many nieces and nephews, brother and sisters-in-law, cousins, and many friends.
His loyal dog of 17 years, Lily, followed him to heaven two days after his death and is being laid to rest with him per his wishes.
Friends may call after 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 15, 2019, at Schmitz Funeral Home in Farmington, Iowa, where the family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. that evening.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, November 16, 2019, at Sharon Presbyterian Church in rural Farmington with Reverend Doctor Mary Anne Welch officiating.
Burial will be at Sharon Cemetery, rural Farmington.
A memorial has been established in his memory. The Schmitz Funeral Home of Farmington is assisting the family with arrangements. On-line condolences to the family may be left at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com.
