Col. Steve L. dePyssler
Steve dePyssler, Colonel, USAF, Retired, passed away on July 25, 2020.
He was born in Chicago, but considered the military as his home. He retired from the Air Force after 38 active duty years having every rank from Private to Colonel and was most proud of this achievement. Steve was an avid golfer and sportsman. Very few people knew that Steve played basketball on a scholarship with Loyola University in Chicago before going into the service in 1941.
He had a tryout with the Chicago Bulls pro basketball team in the NBA, but was just too small. He was the Illinois State Amateur Boxing Champion and lost in the finals of the Armed Forces National Boxing Championships. This was his last fight and only loss in his career. He was very proud to have played with the March AFB basketball team that was made up of mostly the West Point Academy Basketball team. The team won the AF Championship and Steve was selected and played on the All-Air Force team. Steve was also a past president of the Ark-La-Tex Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).
He graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago and credits them with giving him the right kind of education and guidance to have enabled him to lead such a worthwhile and pleasurable life.
He volunteered at the Director of the Retiree Activities Office, Barksdale AFB from 1988 to 2020. His legacy including initiating action for the Northwest LA Veteran’s Home in Bossier City, War Memorial in front of the Bossier City Complex and the Fallen Soldier Cross Monument in the NW LA Veteran’s Cemetery.
Steve may be the only American who participated in 6 military engagements: WWII, Korea, French Indo-China, Vietnam, Cuba (on loan to the CIA) and the Dominican Republic Conflict.
Steve is survived by his loving wife, Gloria of 75 years who he loved deeply and who should be credited with every worthwhile thing that Steve ever accomplished. She is a very special person who loved her family, nature and all living things. Other survivors include daughters, Mr. Carol Wendt of Evans, GA, Stephanie Hoestra of Prescott, AZ, son, Dr. Bruce dePyssler of Carrboro, NC and two grandchildren Kevin Wendt of Newnan, GA and Darian Wendt of Grove City, OH.
The family request memorials may be made to the “Steve dePyssler, Mt. Carmel HS Scholarship Fund” at Community Foundation.
