Steve Thornbury

Steve Thornbury, 53, passed away July 28, 2023 at the Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg. A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023 at Martin-Mattice Funeral Home in Emmetsburg, with Pastor Kent Schmidt officiating.

Steven Jack Thornbury, son of Jack and Fern (Boyken) Thornbury was born August 2, 1969 in Britt. He attended and graduated from North Iowa High School in Buffalo Center in 1987.

Following high school, Steve attended Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmetsburg and received a degree in Auto Mechanics. During that time, Steve worked for Albert Laubenthal at the Amoco Gas Station, tending to the daily needs of customers. He started his own mechanic shop there, working on a vast amount of vehicles. Mendee would often be seen stopping at the shop, describing noises that were coming from her vehicle. Steve would know exactly what was wrong with it and how to fix it. Mendee’s way of fixing the noise was to turn up the radio. Steve would just shake his head.

On October 12, 1991, Steve and Mendee Van Sloten were married in Newkirk. They have one son, Tyler Jack, who was born September 5, 1992. Steve’s joy in life was his family. Gaining a daughter-in-law was one of the happiest days of Steve’s life right along with gaining the newest member of the Thornbury family, Hype Daniel. Hype’s many words of wisdom to his Grandpa Steve made Steve laugh and shake his head, while loving every minute of it.

The greatest passion in Steve’s life was going to his family farm, where his mom still lives, to work on his Farmall tractors or to sort through the iron pile. Steve never took the stillness on the farm for granted, and he loved seeing nothing but farm ground on the horizon. That was Heaven for him. You could find Steve and Tyler working side by side on the tractors or lawn mowers; each giving suggestions or both cursing the problem at hand. Hype would be waiting in the background for his dad or grandpa to give him a ride.

Steve was very particular about his work tools, keeping them perfectly organized in his four tool boxes. He often said, “Always have room for another tool box.” If you were lucky enough to get to borrow his tools, you better be sure to return them spotless and in exactly the same spot as when you took them, or you would hear about it.

Steve worked hard at whatever he did. He woke up every day putting on his work boots no matter how he felt, knowing he needed to provide and care for his family. This is a trait that Steve instilled in his son, as well.

After being diagnosed with cancer, Steve’s motto became Farm Strong-Thornbury Tough and everyone that knew him would expect nothing but a fight against the disease. Steve pushed the doctors to try everything they had to help him fight Glioblastoma. He, along with his family, fought 100%!

Steve is survived by his loving wife, Mendee; son, Tyler, daughter-in-law, Paige and grandson, Hype Daniel; his mother, Fern Thornbury; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Norm and Bettie Van Sloten; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Scott and Teresa Van Sloten; nieces, Megan and Ashley Van Sloten; many aunts, uncles and cousins; and the neighbor kids that were so special to Steve: Tanner, Luke and Maddie Dahm.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jack Thornbury; grandparents, John H. and Hulda Boyken and Fred and Dora Mae Thornbury; aunts and uncles, Vera (Maurice) Swan, Doris (Richard) Banning, Freddie Thornbury, Dean (Harriet) Thornbury, Keith Thornbury in infancy, Leona Boyken in infancy, Janice Sime, and Irvin Boyken; brother-in-law, Randy Van Sloten in infancy; as well as other relatives.