Michael Phillips
sorry to hear that. He was a good postal carrier in Centerville and made himself fashionable. Too bad the streets of Centerville were harder to deliver to than most cities in Iowa. We'll miss him.
Birth date: Aug 19, 1946 Death date: May 25, 2023
John Stephen "Steve" Wehrle died on May 25, 2023 at his home in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, surrounded by family after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 76 . Steve was born August 19, 1946, in Centerville, Iowa, to Everett a Read Obituary
sorry to hear that. He was a good postal carrier in Centerville and made himself fashionable. Too bad the streets of Centerville were harder to deliver to than most cities in Iowa. We'll miss him.
Just saw in the Centerville School newsletter that Steve had died in May. I enjoyed having Steve as our mail carrier most of the years we loved N of Centerville. I never knew Drew well; but imagine the illness and death was hard on him, Melissa's & Elizabeth. Just wanted you to know that I DID appreciate Steve's smile and affability whenever I happened to meet him at the mailbox! 😊
Melissa. So sorry to hear of Steves passing. So thankful that you have family nearby. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Jack and Bobbie White
Steve and I were classmates in Centerville schools. He was eight days younger than I. In thinking about what I could say about Steve for this memorial, I decided that a single story would suffice to illustrate the kind of person Steve was. This story is not well-known even among our classmates and friends. It is a small-world story:
In the mid-1970s, long after our school days together, I had started dating my future wife Robin, then a doctoral student at Stanford University, where I was teaching. My future mother-in-law Ruthie was piquedly curious about my background. In due course, she discovered that I am from Centerville, Iowa. "Oh, I know someone from Centerville, Iowa!" Ruthie exclaimed. ("Uh-oh!" I thought.) "My good friend Eleanor is married to Fred Wehrle, who is from Centerville, Iowa." (Fred was Steve's uncle.) Steve heard about this development and leaped into action. Perhaps anticipating the natural skepticism of mothers-in-law everywhere toward potential future sons-in-law, Steve unsolicitedly and without my knowledge composed a two-page, single-spaced letter of recommendation attesting to my suitability as a mate for Robin and delivered it to Ruthie! Steve never told me directly that he had written the letter, but when I asked him later, he confessed somewhat abashedly. I really cannot judge the extent to which Steve's letter may have smoothed the way for me with my mother-in-law. But I was touched by the generous and kindly spirit that his writing of the letter represents. And I did marry Robin (thanks, Steve!).
Steve, if you were Jewish, you would be a mensch. And by the way, Steve, if you would like to have a letter of recommendation for the next leg of your journey, I would be happy to oblige.
-Tom Sager
Thank you so much for this, Jerry. I had no idea you were on the mound! Was so happy I could find the original clip - was always a legend in my mind. Many thanks for the kind words. I greatly appreciate it!
Legend describes him to the tee (no pun intended). Steve was a great athlete and just a great human being. He had some great basketball moves too! If Centerville would have had wrestling back then, he would have been a State Champ, he was very stong! Drew thanks for answering, I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you in person. We had a graduation party in Des Moines for a dear family friend(s). I attended your Mom and Dad's wedding in 1973! AND YOU ARE WELCOME, your Dad was very easy to talk about!
Drew, Your Eulogy was perfect! I just wanted you to know that I threw that pitch to Wingy Wehrle, he was on the Rotary team and I played for Oehler Brothers. Richard Clark, father of Ronnie Clark wrote articles for the Iowegian. Again, you couldn't have done a better eulogy on your Great Father! May he Rest in Peace!!
Sending prayers to the family
I loved Steve's smile. He really knew how to light up a room. He was my Mom's (Miriam Horstman) mail carrier for many years. She adored him and always talked about what a great "kid" he was. This world has lost another great one! RIP Steve.
Sorry for your loss RIP