Archie Allen Steaples

Archie A. Steaples lost his battle with pneumonia on March 29, 2013. His final weeks were spent surrounded by his friends and family. Archie was born on April 8, 1931 in McDade, Texas to Henry and Janie Steaples.

Survivors include Gladys, his wife of 61 years, and his children, Don and wife, Cheryl, Glenn and wife, Melissa, Robert and wife, Linda, and his brother, J.C. and wife, Oneta, as well as 9 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brother, Norman, and sister, Esther.

Archie was an auto mechanic for most of his adult life, and became known as "the guy who could fix anything." He especially loved children, being a Scout Master for his sons Boy Scout troop, and fishing with his family. After retiring from auto work, he spent several years being a Mac Tool distributor, and then moved on to a career building wooden toys for kids of all ages. Although he claimed to be uneducated, Archie continually redesigned his toys, the tools used to make and display them, and the packing and storage systems needed to get them to their destination without a scratch. An engineer by most standards, Archie and Gladys were very well known in the craft circuit, and their toys ended up as far away as Germany.

He will be missed by all who knew and loved him, but will remain in our hearts forever.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from six o’clock until eight o’clock in the evening, on Tuesday, the 2nd of April 2013, at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas.

A funeral service will be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 3rd of April, in the Colonial Chapel of Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas. Interment will follow in Cook-Walden Memorial Hill Cemetery, Texas.