Steven Keith Abel

Heaven gained an angel on December 14, 2023.  Our father Steven Keith Abel won his long battle with COPD.  He defeated the odds and lived many years through the pain of COPD until the day he knew he had battled long enough.  He said his goodbyes to loved ones and bravely let God take him home.

Steven was born to Roy and Darlene Abel on August 22, 1955 in Tremonton, Utah.  Dad grew up learning the meaning of hard work, he worked on several farms in Bear River City and Garland driving the harvester for the corn harvest and running the bean picker.  He graduated from Bear River High School.  After graduation, he married our mother Kathleen Buckley, and joined the Army.  He was enlisted from 1972 to 1978, he was discharged as an Army Specialist E4.  Dad lived in Utah for most of his life but also in Washington and Idaho.  He lived in Florida and Indiana with our brother Jonathan throughout his cancer treatment.  Dad and Mom divorced in 1996, they remained friends throughout his life and she was always there to lend a helping hand.

Dad was a truck driver for 42 years, gone more than he was home however, he never missed a Christmas.  One year, when we were little, he was not home when we all went to bed on Christmas Eve.  We all wondered where Dad was and asked Santa to bring Daddy home.  When we woke up Christmas morning, Dad was there sitting in his chair, drinking black coffee.  He had driven all night to make it home for Christmas morning.  Dad received seven 1 million miles of safe driving throughout his career.  This is only a small portion of the millions of miles he drove across the country and into Canada.  He drove for Warner Enterprises for over 10 years and was an owner-operator. 

Dad found the greatest peace and joy in the mountains hunting and fishing.  He taught all his children to love the mountains and to spend as much time as possible in the woods.  Our family vacations were trips to Strawberry Reservoir and Mount Pleasant, waking up before dawn to head up the mountain or to the lake.  He was always searching for the “Great White Stag,” which he never found but perhaps one of us will.  Fishing was his great passion, he could spend hours at the lake, patiently waiting for a bite.  He meticulously taught all of us the intricacies of how to string a line, how to angle your arm to cast your pole, how to wait patiently and quietly for a fish to nibble, the exhilaration of “I got a bite”, and how to perform the hook to get that fish.  He taught us how to care for the animals afterward and to always give thanks.

Steven is survived by five of his children Brandy (Merritt) Millsap, Keith (Sharrel) Abel, Melissa (Matthew) Petsche-Kinser, Reid (Tosha) Abel, and Chad Abel.  He loved and laughed with his 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, always giving candy and hugs when they came to visit.  He would always say “I can’t believe all this is what we created.”  His sister Pat (Von) Brown and many other family and friends who loved and will miss him.

Steven is preceded in death by his son Jonathan Bradly Abel, his parents Roy and Darlene Abel, his brother Randy Abel, and his sister Janene Morales.

Our family would like to thank all the staff at Our House for their kindness and compassionate care of our father during his final few years and their continued care and compassion to all their “Oldies.” 

The family would also like to thank Bristol Hospice for their care of Dad in his final few weeks.  Your guidance, compassion, and care will never be forgotten. 

In place of sending flowers to the mortuary, Dad has asked all flowers be sent to the staff at Our House.

A Memorial Service will be held December 29 at 6:00 PM, with family and friends visiting from 5:00-6:00 PM at Rogers & Taylor Funeral Home, 111 N 100 E Tremonton, UT. The service will be livestreamed and may be accessed below.

Roll on Daddy…until we meet again!

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT PAN THE CROWD AND THE CAMERA IS FIXED UPON THE PULPIT. WE WILL TRY AND LIVESTREAM THE FUNERAL SERVICE. IF WE ARE UNABLE TO DO SO, DUE TO THE INTERNET SERVICE AT THE CHURCH, A RECORDING WILL BE UPLOADED WITHIN 24-48 HOURS AFTER THE SERVICE.