~ IN MEMORY ~
USAF ret. Col., DL Capt. Stephen James DeWerff
September 11, 1956 ~ June 15, 2020
Notification with the passing of USAF veteran Delta pilot Captain
Stephen James DeWerff, age 63. Captain DeWerff
joined Delta Air Lines 04-28-1988 and was based Atlanta. To view the obituary online, view the family
photo gallery, and share memories please visit the funeral home website at
For those wishing to send a personal note to the family,
whitepages lists the most recent address in Georgia as
417 Arbor Springs Pkwy,
Newnan GA 30265-4192.
Should more information be received, we can then pass it
along to you.
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
Obituary………………….Stephen DeWerff, 63, Hillsboro Ill., passes
away June 15
Stephen James DeWerff, born in Hillsboro, on September 11,
1956, took his final earthly flight on June 15, 2020.
He is survived by his loving partner Romie Black of Newnan,
GA; his parents James L. and Betty Durbin DeWerff of Nokomis; son William
Anthony DeWerff and his husband, Edward Norris of Atlanta, GA; son Robert James
DeWerff of Los Angeles, CA; daughter Elizabeth DeWerff Fahnders and her
husband, Benjamin Fahnders; and grandson James Paul Fahnders of Houston, TX. He
is also survived by his brothers and sisters, Kevin (Kathy) DeWerff, Dennis
(Vickie) DeWerff, Nancy (Rick) Roberts, Kathryn Finley, Tim (Shell) DeWerff and
Chrissy DeWerff (Brad Whalen).
He was a loving son, brother, father and grandfather. The
eldest grandchild on both sides of his family, a job he took very seriously;
Steve was the rock that everyone leaned on. He was a family man, incredibly
proud of each of his offspring, and did not hesitate to tell everyone how great
they were.
Steve was raised on a dairy farm in Nokomis, with six
younger brothers and sisters. From the time he was 8 years old, Steve aspired
to fly jets. He graduated from Nokomis High School in 1974 and attended the
University of Illinois on a four-year Air Force ROTC scholarship. While at U of
I, he pledged Sigma Pi, was a member of Air Force ROTC and obtained a
bachelor's degree in Animal Science.
After graduation in 1978, he was commissioned a second
lieutenant in the US Air Force. During a nine month delay until reporting to
Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas, he taught agriculture and the FFA
program at Pana High School and was the sophomore boys' basketball coach.
He served as a pilot in the United States Air Force for 30
years on active and active reserve duty achieving the rank of Colonel. For most
of his military career, Col. DeWerff flew KC-10 aerial refueling planes. He
served in Operation Urgent Fury, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring
Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2008, Col. DeWerff finished his career
as the vice commander of 934th Airlift Wing in Minneapolis, Minnesota flying
C-130 Hercules aircraft. Among Steve's numerous awards and decorations
throughout his Air Force career, are: Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service
Medal; Aerial Achievement Medal; Air Force Commendation Medal; Air Force
Achievement Medal; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award; Air Force Organizational
Excellence Award; Combat Readiness Medal; National Defense Service Medal with
Bronze Service Star; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Southwest Asia Service
Medal with two Bronze Service Stars; Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary
Medal; Global War On Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; and,
many more.
In 1988, Steve was hired by Delta Air Lines and began a
32-year career with the company. During his time with Delta, Steve flew Boeing
727; MD-88; L-1011; Boeing 757; Boeing 767; Boeing 777. His last 14 years with
Delta, Steve was a Captain on the 767-ER flying to South America, Central
America, Europe, Africa and Asia. In 42 years of flying, Steve clocked more
than 25,000 hours of flying to more than a hundred countries and 6 continents.
Flying was more than a career, it was his passion, but
nothing was more important to Steve than his family and friends. Steve made
friends wherever he went and always made them feel they had been friends for
decades. Steve was one-of-a-kind and will be dearly missed by all.
The viewing and visitation was held on Friday, June 19 from
5-7 pm at the Stiehl-Dawson Funeral Home located at 200 East State Street,
Nokomis. A funeral service was held on Saturday, June 20 at 10 a.m. at St.
Louis Catholic Church, Nokomis followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery,
Nokomis with full military rites by Waples-Bauer Post 94, Nokomis American
Legion and the Air Force.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be
made to the Glioblastoma Foundation at Glioblastomafoundation.org in memory of
Steve DeWerff.
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