Steven K. Self Obituary (1971

Steven Kyle Self, 49, of Henry, passed peacefully at home on Monday, July 27, 2020, after a 6 year battle with brain cancer. Born January 14, 1971, in Galesburg, IL, Steve was the sixth born of James and Nancy Stodgel Self's seven children. He married his high school sweetheart, Rita Strom, on December 27, 1997, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Galesburg, Illinois. She survives. Steve and Rita are proud parents of Griffin (18) and Hope (16), both at home. Being loyal fans of the St. Louis Cardinals, summer vacations were not complete without a trip to Busch Stadium. The family also visited every ballpark in the Central Division to cheer on the Redbirds. Steve even creatively mowed a ballpark in the backyard for his kids so they could "play ball in Busch Stadium" when they were little. As a father, Steve was his children's greatest coach and biggest fan. Steve attended Williamsfield High School, graduating in 1989. He served in the Army National Guard from 1989-1997. He received his Associates Degree from Carl Sandburg College in 1992, where he played baseball for one year and then went on to receive his B.S. from Illinois State University in 1996. He began his teaching and coaching career in Donovan School District and was named the District 14 IBCA Jr. High Coach of the Year in 2000. He then moved to Henry-Senachwine High School where he taught Physical Education for 20 years, and coached baseball and basketball. He served as Varsity Basketball Coach for 14 seasons. Coach Self instilled in his players the importance of perseverance and encouraged them to always be proud of their family, their school, and their hometown. When it came to life, Steve was relentless in his pursuit of a seat that gave him a better view of the game. It was very apparent at a young age that Steve had a passion for sports, beginning with wiffle ball games in the backyards of Billtown. There were countless summers on a diamond and winters in a gym, numerous baseball leagues, t-ball and youth baseball games, Fantasy Baseball drafts, basketball practices...Steve lived to coach and inspire others. He would always say, "You're either getting better or you're getting worse. You never stay the same." He was an amateur philosopher who dropped snippets of wisdom/B.S. everywhere he went, leaving it to the listener to determine which was which. Often, it was the best mixture of both. Steve was meticulous with the details--from manicuring the lawn or ballfield to scouting teams, recording stats, and keeping schedules of games. He liked to remind people that the most important thing in life is time (while mixing in a song about a donut and giving tips on ways to look busy at work). He was a quick-witted storyteller and often used stories to teach lessons, embellishing when needed to get his point across. A loyal husband, father and friend, Steve taught us all to value time and life's embellishments. He made our lives infinitely better. He is survived by his wife, two children, Griffin Kyle and Hope Maelyn, at home; his mother Nancy Self, Knoxville; two sisters, Kris (John) Rask, Victoria; Meg (Mike) Ott, Williamsfield; four brothers, Mike (Elaine) Self, Springfield; Mitch (Beth) Self, Virginia; Tim (Lori) Self, Victoria; Dan (Tifanie) Self, Dahinda and countless nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Jim. Although he will be dearly missed, we take comfort in knowing that Steve now resides in a seat with the ultimate view of the game, with his father, Jim, right beside him. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to #ChooseJoy - Ryker's Rally benefiting Dravet Syndrome Foundation, Team Self to establish a fund to benefit Henry-Senachwine and Williamsfield students, or choose a charity of your choice. Calvert & Johnson Memorial Home, Henry is in charge of arrangements. www.calvertmemorial.com A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2020, from 2:00-5:00 at the Marshall-Putnam County Fairgrounds,Henry, Bring a lawn chair/stadium seat as social distancing will be in effect. Casual attire. Cardinals fans are encouraged to wear fan gear...for the rest of you, just wear something red. Please follow the Team Self - Steve Self Memorial Facebook page for details on the Celebration of Life and share your tributes and memories with the family.