Steven Wayne Laire was born in Red Oak, Iowa, on Nov. 30, 1946, to Mervin Wayne and Kathryn Marie Dobbs Laire. Steve's mother passed away nine days later. Steve and his father moved in with Mervin's widowed mother, Merv ultimately spent time working the logging industry in Oregon, while Steve was raised by his grandparents, Essie Laire and William and Estal (Marie) Dobbs. Steve attended school in Red Oak through fourth grade. When his father married Helen Miller and began farming north of Villisca, Iowa, Steve transferred, completing his education in the Nodaway/Villisca Schools, where he excelled in vocal music and band.

In the fall of 1965, Steve moved to Omaha to attend Radio Engineering Institute. He found work first at Campbell Soup Company, where he met his lifelong friend and ultimate roommate, Tom Foland. He left Campbell Soup for better pay and hours at Lutheran Medical Center. There he met Rita Crom, a Creighton University journalism student. Steve and Rita planned to marry in June 1967, after Steve completed his electronics technician certification, and Steve accepted an installer position with Western Electric in Des Moines, Iowa. However, Uncle Sam called Steve in March, with orders to report for induction into the U.S. Army on June 5. The wedding was postponed until Steve's first leave. Then Steve's stepmother, Helen, died unexpectedly in mid-July, and Steve was granted emergency leave to attend the funeral. There would be no first leave. Knowing that most military were at that time destined to serve in Vietnam, it was agreed Rita would travel to Louisiana, where Steve was stationed at Fort Polk, to be married the weekend between basic training and advanced individual training. The wedding took place at 4:30 p.m. on Fri., Aug. 18, 1967 – Rita's 21st birthday. Steve said good-bye to his new wife early the next Sun. afternoon, and Rita returned to Omaha to await Steve's re-assignment orders.

It was a relief when Steve was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in September and Steve and Rita set up housekeeping in a trailer so small, the bathroom door could not be closed. By March of 1968, following a stint at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital, in Denver, Steve was discharged to return to Iowa to care for his nine-year-old sister, Dixie, who was seriously disabled with rheumatoid arthritis. Steve also resumed his employment with Western Electric, installing telephone central office equipment at numerous job sites across Iowa and Minnesota. The oldest of their three children, Steven Wayne, Jr., was born Oct. 2, 1970, in Carroll, Iowa. Anxious to stop relocating every few months, Steve accepted a job with Motorola in Quincy, Ill. When downsizing struck Motorola, Steve took a job as a television repairman with Western Auto in Macon, Mo. There the Laire family stayed for 28 years, welcoming daughter, Wendy Danielle, on Oct. 2, 1973 and son, Joshua Bryan, on May 2, 1975.

For ten years, Steve and Rita owned and operated a Zenith and Radio Shack franchise in Macon, adding a second outlet in Hannibal, Mo, the last several years. With interest rates at 18 percent and an operating margin of 10 percent, the Laires sold their business in the early 1980s. Steve began working with Associated Electric Cooperative (AECI), while earning his Bachelor of Science in Management, specializing in Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, through the University of California for Advanced Studies, Petaluma. Rita returned to journalism, selling advertising and writing news and features for The Guide and the Macon Chronicle-Herald. After ten years with AECI, Steve took traveling positions – first with KVB, an environmental controls company based in Irvine, Calif., and later with Air and Water Technologies (AWT) based in the Chicago area. When Josh enrolled at Quincy (Ill.) University, with Wendy also in college and Steve Jr. in the Army, Steve and Rita relocated to Chicago and Rita traveled with Steve throughout his Midwest territory. His work with Custodis, an industrial branch of AWT - and later with competitor Land Combustion - led to Steve being asked to manage a new AWT purchase. Accepting was to mean a transfer to Kansas City, which would have brought the Laires once again closer to their children. Three days before the move, Steve and Rita were shocked to learn the transfer would be to Council Bluffs, where Steve would be working with Industrial Kiln and Dryer (IKD). More surprises followed: IKD was abruptly closed by AWT.

Steve worked short stints with Harrah's Casino, Rasmussen Mechanical Service Corporation and selling private insurance, before joining Sodexo as engineering manager for Millard Schools – a position he held 16 years. With Rita retiring from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the Laires became fulltime RVers, moving into a 37 foot Class A motorhome to wander the U.S. That plan was cut short when Steve was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, in the late summer of 2019.

Steve and Rita were motorcycle enthusiasts, taking Steve Jr. on his first ride at six months of age. They toured all of the states and several of the Canadian provinces, much of it by motorcycle, before retiring from biking and turning to a 1989 Corvette in 2013. They also enjoyed ocean cruises, European river cruises, foreign land tours and visiting all seven continents. Steve shared his tenor voice with several church choirs and sang at the House of St. Peter in Capernaum, Israel. He spent ten years with the Omaha Symphonic Chorus and the Voices of Omaha, serving the latter as President during much of his involvement.

Steve passed away Aug. 6, 2020, at his home in Bennington, Neb., following a battle with ALS. He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepmother, Helen Miller Laire, and his sister, Dixie Laire. He is survived by: his wife of 53 years, Rita; his children, CSM Steven W. Jr. (Cynthia) of Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Bragg, N. C., Wendy (Scott) McCoy of Richmond, Mo., and Joshua B. (Rebecca Lyn) of Chesterfield, Mo.; eleven grandchildren – Autumn Laire of Eustis, Fla., Dawson (Taylor Knutter) Dunkin of Richmond, Mo., Kindyl, Kinzie, Kalyn and Keyton Laire and Delaney and Danielle Dunkin of Norborne, Mo., Rebecca Marie and Kimberly Laire of Hope Mills, N. C., and Lairen McCoy of Richmond, Mo.; and one great-grandchild – Bonnie Fae Dunkin of Richmond, Mo. Survivors also include two sisters-in-law, Rosalie Hanson of Omaha and Cecelia Minshall of Loveland, Ohio, two brothers-in-law, Joseph Hanson and Claud Crom of Omaha, six step-grandchildren and many family and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial service will be held Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 12:00 noon at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Omaha, NE

Graveside service with Military Rites will be held Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. in Evergreen Cemetery, Red Oak, IA

Visitation with the family will be held Tuesday, August 11, 2020 from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. with a service to follow at Heafey Hoffmann Dworak & Cutler Mortuaries & Crematory, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha, NE

Memorials contributions will be directed by the family.

Sellergren-Lindell-DeMarce Funeral Home, Red Oak, is in charge of Steve's arrangements.