Steven Marbery

Steven Dean Marbery of Mount Pleasant, IA, died on Monday January 7, 2013 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR. He was 66 years old. Visitation will be Sunday, January 20, 2013, from 2:00-3:30 p.m. at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel where the family will receive friends. A memorial service will follow at 3:30 p.m. with the Rev. Lynda McClelland officiating. A military flag presentation will be accorded at the memorial service. Inurnment will be in Warsaw, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the Myeloma Institute for Research Therapy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR the Southeast Renal Dialysis of Mt Pleasant, IA. Steven was born on October 6, 1946 in Kansas City, MO, to Gordon D. Rita L. Marbery, he was the second of four children. He graduated in 1964 from Raytown South High School in Raytown, MO. While attending the University of Missouri, he enlisted in the United States Army. He served from 1966-67 in Vietnam as field communications specialist with the 9th Division in the Mekong Delta. He achieved the rank of Sergeant E-5 with an honorable discharge. Steven was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam and fought a rare form of cancer that has been linked to this exposure. Steven, Elaine and their entire family showed courage and love in this ten year struggle. After the military he met and married the love of his life, Elaine Knight at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Kansas City, MO, on March 28, 1970. He was a 1971 graduate of the University of Missouri, School of Journalism. During his time attending the university, he covered the county courthouse, assigned to general assignment beats, and assisted with copy editing for the Columbia Missourian, a city-wide newspaper. In 1972, he served as News Services Liaison Specialist in the communications department of the American-International Charolais Association in Houston, TX. He was then appointed to the position of writer, photographer editor of the Charolais Banner magazine; a national purebred cattle publication in Shawnee Mission, KS. Steven's employment progressed to American Editor of Pig American, Pig International Industrial Porcina magazine for Watt Publishing Company, based in Mount Morris, IL. His job often required him to assist clientele with farm tours for the International Pig Trade Show. In 1985, he moved to Mount Pleasant, IA to become editor of Hog Farm Management magazine with Miller Publishing Company in Minnetonka, MN. He completed his agricultural journalism career in 2002, while writing editing the Hog Industry Insider, the supplement for Feedstuffs, a weekly agribusiness publication. He thoroughly enjoyed his creative writing career and achieved great notoriety within the agribusiness community for his accomplished editorials and features. Steven had many interests which included playing the guitar, photography, historical research, hunting, fishing, and hiking in the timber on his Marceline, MO property. He loved the serenity and peacefulness of the outdoors. He also loved genealogy research and completed the Marbery family tree dating back to 14th century Great Britain. As an avid reader, he devoured books and often read several books magazines at the same time. As a sports fanatic and historian, he spent valued time cheering for his beloved Missouri Tigers football team and attended games whenever possible. He also enjoyed rooting for the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs and shared his passion for sports with his children. Steven adored his family. He loved all of the treasured time spent with his wife, Elaine of Mount Pleasant, IA; two sons, Ethan (Shelly) Marbery of Bonaparte, IA, and Blake Marbery of Queen Creek, AZ; grandsons Luredo Marbery of Moravia, IA and Augustus Overstreet of Bonaparte, IA; granddaughters, Aletha Lunsford of Iowa City, IA and Alexis Overstreet of Bonaparte, IA; brother, Paul (Penny) Marbery of Warrensburg, MO; two sisters, Linda Tombaugh of Archie, MO and Lisa (Mark) Tombaugh of Kansas City, KS. He also enjoyed spending time with all of his nephews and nieces and their children, along with aunts and uncles, Carl and Sharon Marbery, Robert and Virginia Irvin, and Mary Andonie. Preceding Steven in death were his father, Gordon; mother, Rita; stepmother, Mary Ann and grandparents, Walter and Nell Marbery, and Roland and Edith Irvin. Steven was a true warrior in every sense of the word loved life to the fullest. We will miss him deeply.