VAN HORNE:  Steve Schallau, age 79, died Wednesday, May 31, 2023, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM, Monday, June 5, 2023, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Van Horne, with Rev. Craig Steimel and Rev. Jim Miller, as Concelebrants.  Burial will follow in the Keystone Cemetery with graveside military rites. Visitation will be held from 2:00 until 6:00 PM on Sunday at the church in Van Horne.  A memorial fund has been established.

Steve was born on December 11, 1943, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Edward "Ebby" and Irene (Wicke) Schallau.  Steve graduated from Van Horne High School with the class of 1962.  He served his Country in the United States Army National Guard.  On January 29, 1966, he was united in marriage to JoAnn Heitman at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Van Horne.

Steve began his career in auto sales and service while still in high school, working for Grovert Chevrolet in Newhall.  In 1985, he purchased Schallau Motors in Van Horne, a family-owned Ford dealership for over 100 years, from his uncle's Bud and Dan Schallau.  With the help of his son Scott and daughter Darcy, he was proud to continue the family tradition until his retirement in 2017.

Steve was active in the community, as a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the Thomas F. Bevins American Legion Post #148, the Van Horne Businessman's Club, Tara Hills Country Club, and a lifetime member of the Keystone Turners.  He loved tinkering with anything that had an engine.  He became involved with midget sprint cars as a driver and collector.  He also had a love for '40 Ford pickups and Triumph and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Survivors include his wife Jo of Van Horne; daughter, Darcy (Gary) Kearns of Van Horne; daughter-in-law, Stephanie Schallau of Keystone; grandchildren, Kelsey Kearns, Jordan (Caila) Kearns, Shelby (Spencer) Pink; great-grandchildren, Laiken, and Landry Kearns, and 2 more on the way; sisters, Catherine Tolsma of Vancouver, Canada, Mary Virginia (Chris) Kingery of Lincoln, NE; sister-in-law Mary Jane Schallau of Lincoln, NE   and many other close family and dear friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, son Scott this past January; brothers, John in Infancy, and David Schallau; in-laws, Donald and Dorothy Heitman; sister-in-law Carolyn Frimml, and brother-in-law Donald Heitman

Online condolences: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com