Steven Thomas Cissell

Steven Thomas Cissell of Houston, Mo., passed away in his sleep on Nov. 9, 2025. Born on June 11, 1954 in East St. Louis, Illinois, to the late James and Doris Cissell, he lived life to the fullest.

Steve grew up loving Roy Rogers and Trigger and The Three Stooges. In fact, he told his childhood friends that Roy Rogers was his uncle. He wasn’t, but if he had been, Steve would’ve been his favorite nephew. He loved a good party and a good story, often both at the same time. He attended grammar school at Most Holy Name of Jesus in North St. Louis, Mo., and graduated in 1972 from Fox High School in Arnold, Mo. Steve had many friends from high school that he stayed in touch with for decades, especially his friend, Jack Campbell. They were partners in crime for years, whether taking trips together or just hanging out; laughter was always the main event when they got together.

Steve married Carol (Snip) Schulze in 1974 and they had two children together, Greg and Stephanie. They eventually moved to Webster Groves, where the kids grew up. They divorced after twenty-five years and went their separate ways, but always came together when it came to their grown children.

After working with his dad in his meat distribution business, Jim Cissell & Sons, for a few years, Steve worked as a bottler and then in quality control at Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis for some thirty years, meeting his second wife, Angie, there. They married in Las Vegas and enjoyed a dozen years together before she passed away too soon. They lived near family in Millstadt, Illinois, a community Steve enjoyed. He had moved back to Missouri recently, to be near his daughter and grandchildren. He loved to watch the grandkids play sports and loved going to their school events.

Steve enjoyed music – both listening and playing – and took guitar lessons up until a few years ago. He passed his love of guitar on to his grandsons and often bragged about how good they were at playing. His grandchildren brought him great joy and he loved being PawPaw to all of them. He loved telling stories about ice fishing with his son and grandkids up in Vergas, Minn., and about their hockey games. Steve liked the St. Louis Blues and the Cardinals, attending games as often as he could. He enjoyed hanging out with friends and family and a good prank. His house was always decked out for Halloween, and his grandchildren won’t forget how he loved putting on his werewolf mask and chasing them around. His daughter is now the keeper of the mask.

Steve grew up in a household where work and family came first, and he lived by that credo. He leaves behind many who loved him, including his son Greg (Rebecca) of Casco, Wis., and daughter Stephanie (Tim) of Cabool, Mo., grandchildren Hannah, Ellie, Henry, Jack, Maggie, Jacob, Bailey, August, and Bishop. He is also survived by his sisters, Carol Hortin and her husband, Glen, of Wesley Chapel, Fla., Connie Berry and her husband, Chris, of Vineyard Haven, Mass., his brother Eric and his wife, Michelle, of Freeburg, Ill., and his former wife, Carol Diaz, as well as many nieces and nephews and extended family and friends.

A funeral service with the Rev. Darrell Weber presiding will take place on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m. at Zion Church, 117 West White St., Millstadt, Ill. There will be a gathering afterwards at the church hall. Arrangements were made by Elliott-Gentry-Carder Funeral Home in Cabool, Mo. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

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