Arvan’s Obituary Arvan Eugene Steebock, age 85 passed away Friday, February 8, 2019 in Topeka. Arvan was born June 10, 1933 in the family home located about 9 miles south of Barnes, Kansas the son of the late William Frederick and Elsie Christina Grob Steenbock. Arvan attended Ober grade school which was across the road from the Fancy Creek EUB Church, west and south of the family farm.
His attended the Randolph High School his freshman year. He graduated from Barnes High School with the class of 1951. He enjoyed playing 6 man football at both schools.
Here his nickname was “Tugboat”. Arvan served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955, taking his basic training at Ft. Riley.
His Military Police training was at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He was then transferred to Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, which was a black Army post during World War II.
It had been reactivated just a few months before his transfer. Part of his guard duty was on the Arizona – Mexico border. After his discharge from the Army on December 16, 1955, he served in the National Guard until December 16, 1961.
During his Army service, he was awarded the Disguised Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. Arvan met his future wife, Lalla Shorman in the fall of 1953. He made the mistake of asking her to write to him when he left for his military service.
They were married September 30, 1956, enjoying over 62 years together. The first two years of married life they lived on a farm home west of Leonardville, KS which they rented for $25 a month. This home had electricity but no indoor plumbing (The little house out back got pretty cold during the winter).
During this time, Arvan ran a caterpillar doing soil conservation and pond work. During the winter they also did road clearing of severe snow drifts. In August of 1958, they bought a 10 x 35 ft.
trailer and moved to Topeka so Arvan could attend the Topeka Trade School on the GI Bill. He had always wanted to be a machinist like his uncle Fred, so this was the course he took. On September 30, 1958 he began work at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
His first job was in the curing division of large truck and tractor tires. After his initial training he began working 3rd shift which was from 11:00 PM until 7:00 AM. He would then go to school until 12:30 PM.
It took him over four years to finish school as he was only going half the time. He also interrupted his schooling for nine months to work at Midwest Machine Works doing machine work. He finished schooling in the spring of 1963.
Although Goodyear had their machine test, which he scored 100% on he was not offered a machinist job. In February of 1965, due to the recommendations of both his school instructor and boss at Midwest, he was once again given the machinist test, again scoring 100%. In March, he was finally offered a transfer to the maintenance department, as a machinist, a job he enjoyed until his retirement on May 1, 1955.
He always said he was someone who enjoyed going to work every day doing a job he loved. He also had his own machine shop and did many odd jobs for family and friends on this lathe. During his retirement he made over 30 tops which were given as raffle items at square dances or given to friends for their grandchildren.
These tops were perfectly balanced so they would run for several minutes on one pull of the string. Arvan & Lalla were avid square dancers, starting in the fall of 1978. Although he was unable the last four years to enjoy this activity, he often accompanied Lalla to the dances and would enjoy talking and visiting.
As long as he was able to dance they attended every Kansas Square Dance Convention and National Conventions to Oregon, California, Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Utah, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Wichita, KS. They enjoyed traveling to all the area clubs, sometimes traveling almost 100 miles. Arvan belonged to Central Park Christian Church, Wheatheart and Shawnee Swingers Square Dance Clubs, Northeast Callers Association and Roundalab.
Arvan was preceded in death by his parents, a younger brother, Delvin, and infant daughter and two brother in laws, Bill Shorman and Harold Arents. He is survived by his wife of over 62 years, Lalla; daughter, Arla and her husband Shon Moore of Meriden; a son, Wayne of Bellingham, WA; a grandson, Billy and his wife Katelynn Moore; great grandsons, Emmett and Fynn of Seward, Nebraska; a granddaughter, Taryn Moore of Tecumseh; in laws, Don and Barbara Shoman of Harrison, Arkansas, Jane Arents and Dwaine and Rosalie Shorman of Clay Center, Kansas and Carol Shorman of Green, Kansas. His children, grandchildren and great grandson were his greatest joy.
He especially looked forward to the pictures of Emmett and Fynn that were posted for him to see. Memorial services will be Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Central Park Christian Church. The family will receive friends at the church Wednesday morning from 10:00 a.m. until service time.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Central Park Christian Church Children’s Ministry at 1535 SW Clay, Topeka, KS 66604; Midland Hospice Care, 200 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka, KS 66606 or to Croco Hall, 6115 SE Highway 40, Tecumseh, KS 66542 or left in care of the Davidson Funeral Home.
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