Steve Bernard Pavelac Jr.

Steve Bernard Pavelac Jr. of Kansas City, Kansas passed away on June 2, 2020 at his home. He was 82 years old. There will be a funeral service on Thursday June 25 starting at 10:00 am with a graveside service to follow at Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral Home, 701 North 94th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66112. Services will be officiated by Father Mark Mertes of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Steve was born on October 23, 1937 in Kansas City, Kansas to Steve and Helen (Stipp) Pavelac. Steve was a lifelong Kansas City, Kansas area resident. He was a former member of Christ the King Parish and a graduate of Washington High School. As a child in grade school at Christ the King, Steve played basketball, football, and baseball. In fact, when he was in High school, he was a great home run hitter, hitting the ball a long way from Welborn playground into the houses in Barker Circle neighborhood. He would play sports all year, even after high school.

During his life, he became an avid sports fan for professional and college sports. He developed the hobby of keeping statistics for his favorite teams. His absolute favorite team was the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team; he was a HUGE fan of both. He was also a big fan of Willie Mays, the baseball player with the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants. He even drove to St. Louis to watch him play.

Steve was a very hard working and industrious man with a talent for carpentry and other skilled labors. He impressed city inspectors with his amazing handy work and skills needed for constructing, with his own hands, the three homes he built in his lifetime. He also liked building birdhouses. Steve enjoyed growing tomatoes, along with other vegetables, in his small garden. Steve enjoyed visiting the dog races at Woodlands occasionally after his retirement. He retired from US Gypsum after many dedicated years. He was a kind and gentle soul who truly cared about the well-being of others and he will be greatly missed.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Steve and Helen Pavelac; brothers, Ed Pavelac and John Pavelac; sister-in-law, Pat Pavelac and nephew Johnny Pavelac.

Left to cherish his memory are his four daughters, Linda Brossard, Betty Wilson, Susan Cansler, and Julie Harbert; his beloved brother, Ray Pavelac and his wife Cathy; sister-in-law, Carol Pavelac; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews; along with other family members and friends.