Wesley Merdith Steen's Obituary
While surrounded by family, Wesley Merdith Steen, at 96 years, 9 months and 11 days, met his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ face to face on Thursday, January 11, 2024.
A celebration of his life and legacy will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 17th, 2024 First Baptist Church, Wheeler, Texas with Bro. Gary May, Bro. Johnny Crawford and Bro. Larry Mitchell officiating. Interment will follow at the Wheeler Cemetery, Wheeler, Texas under the services of Robertson Funeral Directors. A visitation will precede the services from 9:00 to 10:00 .a.m. at FBC Wheeler.
Wesley, also nicknamed at a young age “Bill” and “Whistle”, was born to James (Jim) and Clara (Wootton) Steen on March 10, 1927. He was eighth in the line of nine boys, Jesse, Milton, Charles, an unnamed infant boy who passed away at birth, Alvin, Little Melvin, Archie and Curtis. All the children were born in the same small house and raised on a farm in Hemphill County near Canadian, Texas. All the brothers preceded him in death.
Drafted into the U.S. Army at the age of eighteen, Wesley served during WWII. He was stationed stateside and trained at Camp Chaffee, AR., Fort Meade, MD., Fort McPherson, Atlanta, GA., and finally transferred to Washington to work in the telegraph office at the Pentagon. He was serving in this capacity when he was honorably discharged from service.
Returning home, he met and fell in love with a young woman he described as “the prettiest girl I’d ever laid my eyes on”, Clethel Marie Crawford. They eloped and married on March 27, 1948. Together, they raised a family of four, Joline (Jones), Cathy (Dunn), Carolyn (May), and Wesley, Jr. (Wes J), and enjoyed a life of love and happiness for one day shy of 53 years. Clethel passed away on March 26, 2001 in the home that Wesley built for their family.
In a providential way that only God could have orchestrated, He blessed Wesley with the friendship and love of Helen Joslyn Crawford. Having both lost their first loves, they found a sweet companionship and a common love of the Lord and each other. On no particularly planned day, after taking a few cows to the sale barn, running a couple of errands, and eating lunch together, they decided to get married on the afternoon of September 22, 2003 in the living room of Bill and Kay Stiles (and called their children later to announce the news). God gave them the blessing of companionship, a fresh, new breath of hope and life, and a combined loving family (Helen’s sons: George and Johnny, whom Wesley loved as his own). Together, they extended each other’s lives and shared much joy for an additional twelve years. Helen passed away on May 27, 2015.
Although an academic education was limited in Wesley’s life, he was a self-educated entrepreneur. He was raised to work and no matter what the work entailed, he did it with all his might. He trapped and sold animal skins, worked on a ranch, a dairy, farmed, developed and maintained a trucking business, worked as an oilfield welder, raised cattle, and was an expert with engineering something workable out of a piece of bailing wire, a pocketknife, and a good pair of pliers (the knife and pliers were always in his pocket -- always). He used whatever he had available, worked on his own equipment, and made certain his children knew what it meant to make a hand, be truthful and loyal, put in an honest day’s work, and a handshake on a deal meant your word. He had an impeccable memory when it came to numbers, and basically taught himself to read by sounding out syllables one-by-one while studying his King James Bible.
Never meeting a stranger, Wesley told everyone who would listen (and many who wouldn’t) about the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ. He tells the story that he was horseback checking cattle when the Lord touched his heart and he knew he was lost and needed a Savior. He testifies that he gave his life to Christ that day while horseback in the pasture and went forward in a revival meeting that week in Canadian (Clethel was saved in the same meeting) to tell the church and be baptized. Ever since that day in the pasture, he testifies of being a changed and devoted, God-fearing man. He desired nothing more than all his family know and experience Christ as he did. Every night before going to bed, his voice could be heard through the stillness of his home praying for his family and loved ones. His greatest desire was that his entire family and those he loved would accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and spend eternity with him in heaven. Next to Jesus, Wesley’s family gained his deepest love and devotion.
Big shoes are left empty with Wesley’s home-going. Many lives have been impacted by one of his strong and honest handshakes, a story about a past experience, advice that was sincere, a bear hug that would squeeze the breath out of you, a kiss on the cheek, a song sung, a tune whistled, a genuine heartfelt laugh, or one of those “PaPa Steenisms” that would make one laugh and wonder “where in the world did that come from?” Not everyone understood things like “it’s hard to get all the coons up one tree”; “he’s smiling like a Jack eatin’ cactus”; “friendly as a cut dog”; “my name is lemon…give me a squeeze” or “God’s still on the throne, and prayer changes things” but these were all common everyday language for Wesley.
He leaves an indelible mark of godly legacy to his children, Joline and (Wayne) Jones of Lafayette, LA.; Cathy Dunn of Amarillo, TX.; Carolyn and (Gary) May of Texas; Wesley, Jr. of Wheeler, TX. Step-children George and (Maxine) Crawford of McLean, TX., and Johnny and (Patty) Crawford of Wheeler, TX. Grandchildren: Shelley and (Darci) Simonsen of El Dorado Springs, MO., Terrie and (Dennis) Teel of Elk City, OK.; Mattie and (Scott) Morris of Altus, OK., Tafney Dunn of Amarillo, TX.; Travis and (Rebecca) May of Longview, TX., Clayton and (Jericha) May of Hacienda Heights, CA.; Cortney Butler of Wheeler, TX., and Jessica Steen of Burns Flat, OK. Step-grandchildren Eric Crawford of Woodward, OK., Erika Crawford of Amarillo, TX; (James) and Elizabeth Ambrose of Thayer, MO., George Dowdy of Farmington, NM., Franklin and (Carrie) Jones of McLean, TX.; Mandy and (Jason) Owens of Yukon, OK.; and (Jalie Crawford) McKown of Vega, TX.; thirty-nine great-grandchildren with one passing away in infancy; twelve great-great-grandchildren with three on the way, two sister-in-laws, Helen (Crawford) Furgason and Pearl (Crawford) Morgan, many nieces and nephews, and a host of valued friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages a memorial gift be given to FBC Wheeler.
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