Stephen "Steve" Paul Peckenpaugh

Throughout Steve’s life, he excelled in sports, especially baseball, earning a reputation as an extremely competitive player on the field and a multitude of accolades throughout his childhood and adult years. During his high school years, Steve was honored by the National Honor Society for his dedication to his community, education and athletics during his time at Southside High in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He attended West Ark for 2 years, finishing up his time in college with a degree in education from the University of Arkansas. From there, Steve joined the United States Air Force where he became a Pararescueman serving overseas in the first Gulf War. After 10 years of service, his lifelong affinity to help others inspired Steve to transition from the Air Force to the medical field where he would attend the Bernice Jones School of Nursing in Northwest Arkansas to become a registered nurse. Steve went on to dedicate 27 years of his life as an operating room nurse. Even after death, his life long mission to save and protect people didn’t stop as he was able to save 3 more lives through organ donations.

Steve Peckenpaugh was a giant, intensity personified, unapologetically a patriot through and through. He loved his country and the people who represented it. Steve was the type to tell it like it is, taking a definitively blunt approach to his life and the people around him. Years of service, sports, and the outdoors left him with a hardened exterior that some would find formidable and intimidating, but those who were around him, even those who just met him, knew that exterior was covering up a genuinely tender, altruistic, God loving, beautiful man. The perfect blend of teddy bear and protector.

Steve’s passion for listening and playing music was unwavering, believing music could heal the soul and help light the way through dark times. He was a longtime drummer, who would practice daily for his Sunday jam sessions with his youngest son. Steve loved the Razorbacks, spending years of his life in the stadiums, listening to the radio, and yelling at the television. Steve spent his entire life maintaining a healthy mind, body and soul. And if you didn’t find him watching sports on the coach with his dog, Bella, he was in his yard, making sure he had the best lawn on the street. Most importantly, Steve was a devoted Christian who trusted fully in God’s plan for his life.

Lastly, Steve loved his family intensely. His wife, Toni, was his world. Toni entered Steve’s life in 2003 and instantly transformed him, with Steve often saying, “She is my soulmate”. A remarkable pair that filled each other's lives with the perfect blend of ingredients that culminated into 16 years of inspiring marriage.

Steve is preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Betty.

He is survived by his loving wife, Marsha “Toni” Peckenpaugh; his children, Nicholas Peckenpaugh, Joshua Peckenpaugh, and Shelby Byrd; His stepchildren, Rebecca Gennaro and Molly Lawson; His 3 cherished grandchildren, Charlotte (Charlie) Peckenpaugh, Haley Gennaro and Lynden Byrd; his two sisters, Paulette Mendenhall and Patricia Galloway.

A visitation will be held on Monday, February 16th at Rollins Funeral Home from 6:00-8:00 pm. A funeral service will be held the following Tuesday, February 17th at New Life Church in Fayetteville at 10:00 am, with burial to follow at Fayetteville National Cemetery.