Steve Edwin Hemphill

Steve Edwin Hemphill, 71, of Wamego, Kansas, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Valley Vista Good Samaritan Society in Wamego. Steve was born on March 17, 1942 to George and Florence (Ames) Hemphill in Madison, KS. He attended local schools and graduated from Manhattan High School in 1960. He was a member of the Kansas National Guard from 1966-1972. During that time he was honored to represent his unit as a member of the Color Guard at President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s funeral in Abilene, KS. Steve was a journeyman electrician and became a member of IBEW Local 226 in Topeka, KS in 1968 and worked from there until his retirement in 1997. He enjoyed the outdoors, camping, gardening, or just sitting in a lawn chair reading a book. His true passion; though, was cars. His pride and joy was his 1961 Chevrolet Corvette on which he did a complete body-off restoration. In 1963 he married Mary Machin in Manhattan. They were later divorced. She survives him. On April 1, 1992 he married Gwendolyn Runnebaum in Wamego. She survives at home. Additional survivors include his two daughters, Amy Hemphill of Franklin, Indiana and Marcie Hemphill and her companion Kyala Stewart of Atlanta, Georgia; a stepson, Andy Runnebaum and his wife Robin of Wamego; four grandchildren, Elizabeth, Lily, Sydni and Tatum; three sisters, Joy June Barr and husband Albert of Manhattan, Rosalie Hooper and husband Floyd of Topeka and Dorothy Nichols of Wayland, Massachusetts; four nieces and twelve nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Darrell Hemphill; granddaughter, Savannah Rose Runnebaum and one niece. Steve’s wishes were to be cremated. A celebration of his life will be held on Thursday, March 6, 2014 from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Wamego Public Library or Friends of the Park in Wamego and may be left in care of the Stewart Funeral Home, PO Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.