Stephen D. Lomshek, 82, passed away Friday May 2, 2025, at Arma Health and Rehab where he had been a resident since February. He had been in failing health due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.
Steve was born in Pittsburg, KS on Aug. 5, 1942, to Edward R. and Mavis (Clayton) Lomshek. He was raised on the family farm north of Cherokee until the family moved to Kirkwood when he was a teenager. He attended a one room schoolhouse through the 3rd grade and then went to Cherokee schools graduating from Crawford Community High in 1960. He eventually earned two- and four-year degrees in automotive technology from Kansas State Teachers College (Pittsburg State) and was a graduate of the Army ROTC program. He served as an officer in a Mechanical Maintenance Company in the US Army from 1967-70 spending 2 1/2 years near Frankfurt, Germany followed by a six-month tour in Vietnam before being honorably discharged.
From April of 1971 until Sept. of 1983, he was the owner of Steve's Yamaha motorcycle shop in Pittsburg and then was a bus driver for SEK-CAP Headstart and USD 250 until his retirement in 2011. He was an avid motorcycle rider logging an estimated 250,000 miles. For years he made annual trips to Europe to visit family and friends in Slovenia and Austria and he had a lifelong love for dancing that started as a child through 4H.
He is survived by three sons and two daughters; Roger (Rebecca) of Pittsburg, Eddie (Amy) of Pittsburg and Doug (Jamie) of Olathe, Karen Whetzell (Kelly) of Franklin and Debbie of Pittsburg. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren as well as two brothers; Dave and Jerry, both of Chicopee.
He was preceded in death by his parents. Steve was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish in Pittsburg and the SNPJ Slovenian Lodge 225 of Arma.
Mass of Christian Burial will take place Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Pittsburg with a rosary being recited at 9:30 a.m. and mass at 10 a.m. with Fr. Michael Simone as the celebrant. Burial will follow in the Highland Park Cemetery. The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorial suggestions be made to SPX Newman Club at Pittsburg State; these may be left at or mailed to the funeral home. Condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com. Services and arrangements are under the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home 522 S. Broadway Pittsburg, KS.
