Stephen Raymond Gottner, beloved husband of Ruth Takeda Gottner, passed away September 28, 2019. He was born in El Paso, Texas, on March 21, 1950. His parents were Raymond Gottner and Mary Maxine Gottner, née Fish. Because of his father’s service in the U.S. Air Force, Steve’s family moved frequently until the family settled in Lincoln, Nebraska, where Steve graduated from St. Pius X High School in the spring of 1968. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in the fall of 1968 and married Janet Pflueger on June 3, 1969. Steve served in Vietnam with the 18th Military Police Brigade, earned recognition as a sharpshooter and marksman during his military service, and attained the rank of sergeant. In the civilian world, he worked in construction, real estate sales, car sales, and insurance sales. He was never a stranger to others because he loved people, had a great sense of humor, and a marvelous gift of gab, whether he was playing poker, talking to clients about a policy or a claim, or simply waiting in line. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and playing games.
A lifelong Roman Catholic, Steve also loved his faith. He was a long-time parishioner at St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin and was proud to be a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council #10333. He and Ruth met at St. Albert and married on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2012. Steve’s neurological illness first manifested in 2014 and it became harder and harder for him to talk. His unexpected liver failure in 2016 and subsequent transplant posed new challenges, but even as his illness progressed, he always asked health care providers where they were from and enjoyed hearing the varied answers to that simple question.
Both of Steve’s parents preceded him in death. Janet died in 2009, followed by Steve’s eldest daughter Karen Gottner in April 2019. He is survived by his siblings Martin (Gail) Gottner in Palos Heights, Illinois; Mary Anne (Jim) Zitterkopf in Cibolo, Texas; John (Debbie) Gottner in Omaha, Nebraska; Eileen Truan in Round Rock, Texas; Linda (Tim) Olivetti in Lincoln, Nebraska; Michael (Sandy) Gottner in Pflugerville, Texas; and Deborah Gottner in Cibolo, Texas; by his children Stephen (Meriel) Gottner, Susan Mroz, David (Crystal) Gottner, and Beth Gottner; by his grandchildren Robert, Chase, Joseph, Steven, Karissa, Cameryn, Chasmine, Wendy, Luis, Katie, Alyssa, Marlie, Brandon, Lilly, Khalia, and Michael; and by his great-grandchildren Gabriel, Tucker, and Luca.
Steve’s love, humor, generosity, and warmth will be sadly missed. His bravery and positive outlook during his long illness was remarkable, especially when his ability to communicate eventually deserted him.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Spring Road, Suite 100, Austin Texas 78759, www.hospiceaustin.org, or to The Brookwood Community, 1752 FM 1489, Brookshire, Texas 77423, www.brookwoodcommunity.org.
