CHIEF STEVEN R. MESSENGER USNR

Chief Steven R. Messenger USNR, 74, of Billings, passed away with his loving family by his side at his home, on Saturday, June 17. He was born Aug. 27, 1948, in Lakin, Kan. to Harry and Vada (Robinson) Messenger, the oldest of five children in the home.
Messenger graduated from Hillcrest High School in Springfield, with the class of 1966. After graduation, he attended SMS. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and two weeks later, on Dec. 21, 1968, he married Janet Taylor. They had two sons, Mark and Robie. Messenger spent 20 years with the U.S. Navy.
During his military career, he was awarded two Navy achievement medals and a Navy commendation medal. After he retired, he became a civilian contractor for the U.S. Navy, as a project manager, continuing the work he did while enlisted. After he left his project manager position, he then went on to own and operate a company called Unicomp, also in Corpus Christi,.
Messenger and his family relocated to Missouri in 1997, and in August of 1999 they settled down in Billings.  Later, they owned and operated Messenger Plumbing.
Messenger is survived by his wife of 54 years, Jan; sons, Mark Messenger and wife Amber and their two children, and Robie Messenger and his three children; one great-grandson; siblings Jeffrey (Wanda) Messenger, Linda Richardson, Terry (Gary) Erwin and Cheryl Brown; as well as a host of other extended family and friends.
Messenger is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers-in-law, Donald Richardson, and Vic Brown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society Pancreatic C/O Pancreatic Cancer Research P.O. Box 6704 Hagerstown, MD. 21741 or at www.donate.cancer.org.
A graveside service was held on Monday, June 26, at Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield with Pastor Lee Miller officiating.