He was born on March 15, 1943 in Washington, DC and was the son of the late John A. and Florence Miller Rosensteel.
Steve grew up in Virginia, but lived part of his childhood in Tripoli, Libya. He graduated in 1961 from Denis J. O’Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia. He then enlisted in the Navy where he served 1961-1965 as Second Class Petty Officer for Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED ONE at the U. S. Naval Air Station in Florida. Steve was a certified Aviation Fire Control Technician whose squadron was awarded the Naval Aviation Safety Award for the most outstanding safety record in the United States in 1964. He was in the U. S. Naval Reserves from 1965-1967, before he was honorably discharged.
Steve would soon meet the love of his life, Jerlene “Jerri” Whetzel, and they were married on November 15, 1966. He was a graduate of St. Mary’s College of California with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management. Steve’s career, as General Manager for the Xerox Corporation, allowed him and Jerri to live in a number of different locations, from the West coast to the East coast, throughout the US, before Steve retired and they landed permanently in Fishersville, VA.
While Steve loved spending time with family and friends, his passion was playing his banjo and fishing. He was a devout Christian attending church regularly at Fishersville Baptist Church.
Steve is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jerlene “Jerri” Whetzel Rosensteel; sister, Frances Blair; brother, Jan Rosensteel; nieces, Yvonne Hensley and Erin Mullinax; nephews, Dan Wolfrey, Steve Wolfrey, Herbert Wolfrey, Keith Wolfrey and Justin Rosensteel.
A funeral service will be held 11:00 am, Saturday, February 4, 2023 at Lindsey Funeral Home in Harrisonburg. Private Burial will be at Jenkins Chapel Cemetery in Mathias, WV.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.lindseyfuneralhomes.com.
