Stephen C. Messinger, age 69, of Brighton, Iowa, died Saturday, March 29, 2014, at the University of Iowa Hospital following a sudden illness.
Celebration of life services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 4th at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home with Pastor Maureen Howard officiating. Military honors conducted by Washington American Legion Post 29 will be held in conjuction with the memorial services. Calling hours will begin noon Thursday at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 5:00 until 8:00 Thursday evening. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for Friends of Lake Darling. Online condolences may be sent for Stephen's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com .
Stephen was born April 6, 1944, in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of William Claude and Werdna June (Hayes) Messinger. He graduated from Adair-Casey High School in Adair, Iowa. Stephen was united in marriage to Joan Lemke on September 6, 1964. He served honorably in the United States Air Force from 1961 until 1966.
Stephen has resided in Brighton, Iowa, since 1967 where he worked as a Conservation Officer for the Iowa D.N.R. until his retirement. Following his retirement he worked as a Security Officer at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City and also worked security for several NASCAR events. He was a volunteer fire fighter for many years. Stephen was a true outdoorsman. He enjoyed fishing, trapping and hunting. He traveled to many states in the west and southwest to participate in a variety of hunts with his friends.
He is survived by his son, Jeff Messinger and wife Holly of Lake Forest, California; son, Tim Messinger and wife Kim of Washington, Iowa; five grandchildren, Luke, Sophie, Keira, Remy and Leighton Messinger; mother, Werdna Hubbard of Washington, Iowa; and siblings, Irene Gaskill, Glen Hubbard, Elaine Ryan, Jeanne Callahan, Luann Powell, David Messinger and Carol Platt.
Stephen was preceded in death by his father, Claude Messinger; step father, Eugene Hubbard; brother, Bruce Hubbard; and sister, Donna Powell.