Stephen Donald Miranda

At age 9, he got a newspaper route to stay in Maryknoll School. The family moved to a different housing area where he couldn’t secure a new paper route and he couldn’t complete his senior year of school.

During these years, Steve enjoyed “the island life”, had many friends, participated in mandatory ROTC and became an avid reader. At 17, he and several friends joined the Reserves, as their mothers wouldn’t give permission for regular enlistment. However, when Steve turned 18, he did enlist in the US Marine Corps.

He served at several California bases, longest at Twentynine Palms. From 1959-1961, he served on Embassy duty in El Salvador where he met his first wife, Evelyn Joanne Blecha, a school teacher from La Junta, Colorado. They married when Steve returned stateside and were stationed back at Twentynine Palms. Now with a son and daughter he completed his second enlistment in 1964 and moved to Colorado Springs.

On January 1, 1965, he and seven others began careers with the Colorado Springs Police Department. Steve was the first non-white officer since 1922. He served on patrol and traffic until promoted to Sergeant after seven and a half years and back to patrol. In the late 1970s, the PD established a voluntary Reserve Officer program to assist regular officers. Steve volunteered to assist with their training and became permanently assigned to be in charge of recruiting, training and administrating the program plus assist in regular officer training. He especially loved this along with his last four years back on patrol until he retired on May 5, 1990.

In January 1973, Steve married his “Sweetie” Kathleen Parker. They added two more sons to the family. Steve was a lifelong fisherman learning to fish lakes and streams instead of the ocean and started hunting in his new home state. During the 80’s, he co-owner The Tim Star Gift Shop in old Colorado City.

In retirement, Steve kept busy as a Bail Bondsman, Life Insurance and Mutual Funds salesman, delivered prescriptions, worked at the Broadmoor Skeet Range and enjoyed time with family and friends and traveling.

Steve was a member of the NRA, American Legion Post 209, IFA, the CSPPA, Hui Na Aikana and attended Colorado Springs High School/Palmer Alumni and First Presbyterian Church. He obtained two Associate degrees from Pikes Peak Community College. He strongly supported reading and education for his children, grandchildren and those of friends and clients through monetary rewards. The last requirement of their book report was answering “what would God say about the book”.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, step-father David Aranio, siblings Eugene, Norman, Aloha and Peter and his daughter-in-law Michelle. He is survived by his beloved wife, Kathy, children Stephen F (Sherry Wertz), Leilani (Tony) Taglialavore, Donald A K (Heidi Evans), and Gregory D K (Monica). Grandchildren Stephen G (Baylie Hradecky), Marcus (Keziah) Vigil-Miranda, Alicia (Steven) Fogle, Jayden and Izaiah Miranda, Marisa (Ben) Matson and Mattea Miranda. Precious great grands Genesis Grace and Eden Michael Vigil-Miranda and Ignatius David Kai Matson, his brother Vernon (Judy) of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, sister-in-law Yvonne, HI and brother-in-law Peter (Carol) Schmidchen, WA plus much loved extended family.

Steve loved his wife, family and God and will be greatly missed.