Stephen D. Eslinger

On November 18, 2021, another family member was taken from us.
Our son-in-law, Stephen D. Eslinger, age 63 passed away at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana.

He was born on July 10, 1958 in Ottumua, Iowa and was raised in Montana.

In 1976 Steve moved to Wisconsin, where he met the love of his life, Wendy Griese in1977.  They moved to Anchorage, AK with their first born daughter.  In 1984 they moved to Montana where their third daughter was born in 1989.  One year later, Steve joined the family business, Eslinger Drilling and Pump Service.

On his days off, Steve enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping with his grandchildren and his family.  Steve was a member of the N.R.A. and the R. M. E.  F.  He also enjoyed participating in long range shooting competitions.

Steve was preceded in death by his father, Ralph, mother, Myrma, sisters, Valerie and Dani, brother, Chris and his grandparents, Ralph and Valerie.

Steve is survivedd by his wife, Wendy, brothers, Ralph (Skip) (Berta), John (Dwana), Andy (Shellane), Dusty and David; his sisters, Shauna, Vicky and Connie; his daughters, Misty (Chet), Melissa (Joey), and Darlene (Bryant); his grandchildren, Kayla, Louis, Faith, Jada, Katie and Lena; his two great grandchildren, Haven and Kane.

He is also ,survived by Wendy’s family, his mother-in-law and father-in-law: Daniel and Shirley Brusky; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, June Griese, Keith and Debbie Griese, Cindy and Dan Paschke, Dale and Connie Griese, Dove Griese (Dennis Berkovitz), Melody Lacey, Brandon Griese, Tiffany and Brian Gates, Stephanie Griese and very good friends, Paul and Melanie Czoske and many other relatives and friends.  He was preceded in death by Wendy’s father, John Griese and her brother, Bruce Griese, (September 4, 2021 of Covid), her brother, Louis, whowas killed in Iraq and her sister-in-law Sally Williams Griese,  who was killed in an automobile accident on March 26, 2022.

There will be a gathering for family and friends in the summer of 2022 in Montana.

We will always remember Steve, our tall, rugged, hardworking, cheerful mountain man .

He is now at rest in his peaceful Bitter Root Valley, between the Bitter Root Range and the Sapphire Range in the Rocky Mountains of Montana.