Steven Ramirez

Steven Ramirez, 93, passed away peacefully after a short illness in Mishawaka, Indiana on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at Marshall and Marshall Funeral Directors Chapel in Hillsboro with Rev. Melissa Graham and Rev. Darryl Phillips officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Garden of Memory with Military Honors. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday, May 4, at the funeral home.

Steven was born in Hillsboro, Texas on December 27, 1924 to Lorenzo and Juanita (Rizo) Ramirez. He grew up in Hillsboro and graduated from Hillsboro High School where he excelled in math and played on the football team. Steve attended Hill Jr. College from 1947-1948 after service to his country in WWII. Later, Steve resided in Mishawaka and was married to Frances Dean (Sidle) Ramirez. Steven was very family oriented and loved his family unconditionally. He never met a stranger and was a friend to all. He enjoyed singing Country and Western classics and had a beautiful voice. In his later life, Steven enjoyed being outdoors tending to his garden and flowers – he could grow the most beautiful vegetable and flower gardens. He also loved to fish and was creative in arts and crafts, creating yard art. He was of the Methodist faith.

Before Steven’s military service, he was employed by H.C. Price Co. of Oklahoma. Corporal Steven Ramirez was a WWII veteran in the U. S. Army from 1943-1945. During his service time, he served honorably as a Sub-Foreman Engineer 059 for Company C.398th Engineer G.S. Regiment. They built bridges and blew up the enemy bridges. He participated in the heaviest battles in the European and Pacific Theater, including the Battle of Normandy at Cherbourg, France (June 21-29, 1944). Steve was unaware that his older brother, Joseph Ramirez, was driving the landing craft he was on that transported him from his ship to land in the Battle of Normandy at Cherbourg. Joseph read the name, Steven Ramirez, on the landing list but they did not get a chance to speak with each other until after the war. The Battle of Normandy at Cherbourg was one of the most important objectives and freed the largest deep sea port in France from the Germans. Engineering regiments worked for over a month to de-mine and repair the port so Liberty ships could enter, which led to the Allied victory in 1945. Of the seven Ramirez “boys” Steven, Joseph, and Daniel all participated in the Pacific Ocean Theater of WWII and all are featured in the Hill County Museum and the Hill College Historical Research Center. Steven received medals from the European, African and Middle Eastern Service, The Good Conduct medal, Go#5 398 Engineer G.S. Regiment on March 7, 1945 and the Meritorious Unity award, Go#120 Hg.Com-z ETOUSA on June 29, 1945. After the war, Steve worked as an Engineering Supervisor for over 20 years in the AMG military truck division of GM in Mishawaka, Indiana. He retired in 1987.

Preceding him in death were his previous wives, Beverly Clinger of Brookville PA in 1959 and Nell Copeland of Lawrenceburg TN in 1986; his parents; five brothers, Louis, Vicente, Joseph, Nick and Daniel Ramirez; and three sisters, Dionisia (Nita) Salmeron Ledesma, Carmen Dills, and Naomi Gonzales.

Steven is survived by his devoted wife, Francis Dean (Sidle) Ramirez of Mishawaka; step-son, Robert Brittain of South Bend, IN; brother, Joe Ramirez of Hillsboro; sisters, Amelia Reyes of Denver, CO, and Margaret Gonzales and Jo Torres, both of Hillsboro; many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.

Memorials may be made in Stevens’s memory to the Line Street United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1665, Hillsboro, TX 76645.

Descansa en paz Hermano.