Steve Chidester

Date of Birth

Mar 29,1972

Date of Death

May 19,2016

Steve Chidester, age 44, of Cortland, died tragically while working on road detail for KDOT, Thursday, May 19, 2016. In a blink of an eye, a life was lost, worlds were shattered and in the wake of an inexplicable accident, a devoted wife, loving family and proud parents struggle to carry on. Steve’s life, love and friendship touched so many, and his loss has touched so many more. His spirit lives on through his legacy and Steve’s memory will never diminish. The broken hearts will mend, but will forever carry a piece of him in the shadows of their lives.

Steve was born March 29, 1972, in Geneva, IL, the son of Larry and Sandi (Dawson) Chidester.

Steve grew up in Elburn and attended local schools. He graduated from Kaneland High School with the class of 1990. Before accepting his diploma, Steve went to State on the cross country team, excelled in track where he specialized in the pole vault, and made a name for himself on the wrestling team. (Rumor has it, Steve also was involved in a little mischief on the side.)
Steve lost his heart to Lorraine Bradley on July 4th, 1991. Fireworks graced the sky and love graced their hearts and within five years, rings graced their fingers when they were united in marriage on May 4, 1996.
They began their new life together in Elburn but made their home in Sugar Grove in 2000. Three years later, on September 15, 2003, they moved to their current home in Cortland.
Following graduation, Steve worked for Speedway Disposal for a time, Tandem Landscaping and later National Construction Rentals. Most recently he was proud to be a Highway Maintainer III for KDOT.
Steve was member, along with his dad, of the Aurora Land Archers Club.
Steve and his dad were avid bow hunters and entered many competitions over the years, not to mention hunting trips in IL and CO where they hunted Elk and White Tail Deer. Some of his favorite times were fishing with family and friends and sitting around a camp fire that he made and lit without the use of matches or accelerant. No campfire was complete without a cold beer and an easy laugh. Nothing came before his beloved Denver Broncos as Steve was faithful in his devotion and was known to try and convert others from time to time. Rock climbing brought him to summits of over 14,000 feet high in Colorado. After graduating high school, he and friend Rob Alm, took a trip to Glacier Park in Montana where they backpacked off of the grid for three weeks, making hundreds of unforgettable memories and one encounter of a Grizzly Bear. Steve was passionate about staying fit and spent countless hours at Fitworkz in DeKalb. Steve’s nieces and nephews held a special place in his heart, and he was at very nearly every one of their sporting events. The brightest light in his life was his loving wife, Lorraine. They just celebrated their twenty year wedding anniversary, but now Steve is reunited with his infant daughter, Alyssa Lee, who left this world after mere moments when she was born on September 9, 2004. Lorraine’s proudest moment was his bodybuilding competition with best friend and “brother from another mother”, Kyle.

He is survived by his loving wife Lorraine; his parents, Larry and Sandi Chidester; two siblings: Tammy Lynn (Bill) Miller and Shellie Kay (Daniel) Sparks; his mother-in-law, Lucy Bradley; sister-in-law, Annie Ruelas; Nephews: Travis Miller, Dominic Ruelas and Adryan Ruelas; nieces, Olivia Miller and Alanna Ruelas; many aunts, uncles and cousins; his best four legged friend, Gracie, a countryside of family, friends and” Klap-Lind-Ster’s Clan”—you know who you are.

He is preceded in death by his daughter Alyssa Lee Chidester, his paternal grandparents, Lawerance and Beverly Chidester and his maternal grandparents, Stephen and Ruth Dawson and his faithful dog Montana Marie.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m., Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at the St. Charles United Church of Christ, 40W451 Fox Mill Blvd, St. Charles, IL 60175. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 26, also at the church, with a visitation from 10-11 a.m. Rev. David Pattee, pastor of the church, and Rev. Kathy Lawes, will officiate with private family interment to follow cremation at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Steve’s name to benefit his favorite charities, including Lutheran General Hospital. Checks may be made to the “Steve Chidester Memorial” and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address, on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page and on the web at www.conleycare.com.

A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 26, also at the church, with a visitation from 10-11 a.m. Rev. David Pattee, pastor of the church, and Rev. Kathy Lawes, will officiate with private family interment to follow cremation at a later date.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m., Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at the St. Charles United Church of Christ, 40W451 Fox Mill Blvd, St. Charles, IL 60175.

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