Steven E. Delay was born August 31, 1944, in Hastings, Nebraska.
Steven departed this life Wednesday, March 23, 2022, at Bryan-East Hospital in Lincoln at the age of 77 years.
In his younger years, he attended Guide Rock Public Schools and graduated with the class of 1962.
During his time in Guide Rock at his father’s grocery store, he dealt with putting his fingers into rotten potatoes and onions, cleaning up broken honey jars, and dodging tropical spiders and snakes coming out of wooden banana crates.
He did learn how to count change back to customers.
He earned a BA in Education in 1966 and a MS in Education in 1970 from Kearney State College and did graduate work at South Dakota State University, the University of Wyoming and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
During his educational career in Nebraska, he taught at Wheatland High School in Madrid, Holstein, and over 30 years in Hebron.
Delay was a life-long member of the National Education Association and the Nebraska State Education Association.
He was also a past member of the Hebron Lions Club, past member and president of the Thayer County Historical Society, a past member of the Hebron Library Board.
He was a member of the Hebron Presbyterian Church; the Thayer County Visitors Committee; the Arts Council of Thayer County(Save the Majestic Theater) and his investment club.
Cooking, historical research, and football were his favorite activities along with trying to get the Hebron High Bears football coach to throw a forward pass as part of the game plan.
He also enjoyed pushing his liberal views onto the conservative members of his coffee club.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Earl and Amelia (Boom) Delay; half-brother, Arden Delay killed in World War II, and his brother, Billie E. Delay; half-sister, Earlene Delay; and sister-in-law, Brigitte Delay.
Survivors include his sister, Joanne Kennedy of Fort Collins, CO; sister-in-law, Cheri Delay of Hastings; brother, John Delay of Eugene, OR; nieces, Patricia (Jim) Knutson of Camarillo, CA, Kathy (Jeff) Gordon of Evansville, IN, Chris (Chuck) Wing of Longmont, CO, Casey Tracy of Hastings; step-niece, Lori (Dean) Homstad of Springdale, AR, and Nicole (Terry)Burton of Omaha; nephews, Michael (Karen) Kennedy of Amarillo, TX and Kelly (Barb) Kennedy of Lyons, CO, Paul Dyer of Aurora, CO; many great-nieces and great-nephews, and the Boom cousins.
Funeral services were Monday, March 28, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church in Hebron.
Officiant was Steven’s great nephew, Douglas Kennedy.
Casket bearers were Dan Werner, Kent Cottam, Dan Desmond, Les Hill, Vic Jacobson, and Randy Mesloh.
Honorary casket bearers were Rich Hoins, Bob Bacon, and Bob Fischer. Special recorded music selected was “Walk Don’t Run” and “Telestar” by Ventures.
Condolences may be left at www.krollfh.com. Memorials may be sent to Chris Wing (1310 19th Ave. of Longmont, CO. 80501).
Kroll Funeral Home of Hebron handled the arrangements.
