Steven Eugene Howe, age 79, passed away on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Osceola County.

He was born on September 22, 1946, to Eugene and Madeline Howe, Steve lived a life shaped by steady hands, a strong-willed determination, and a deep devotion to the people around him. Steve attended the Trinity Lutheran School in his younger years before graduating Reed City High School in 1964, carrying his small-town roots with pride wherever life took him.

After graduation, Steve began a long career in tool and die, earning his journeyman card at Reed City Tool where he developed the skills that would define his working life. Steve then went on to honorably serve his country in the United States Navy as an E5, stationed aboard the submarine tender USS Orion. His time in service reflected a commitment to duty and precision that would echo through the rest of his life.

On July 14, 1990, Steven married Debra Walcott, beginning a partnership defined by enduring love and a shared life’s journey. Together, their independent families merged to create a new family that became the center of his world.

Steve founded Spruce Tool in the 80’s, building and operating the business for many years in Reed City before moving out of the area. He went on to work at several different tool and die shops before settling at Hart Enterprises in Sparta, Michigan, where he remained until his retirement.

Alongside his work, Steve had a lifelong passion for horses, attending farrier school in Texas shortly after his honorable discharge from the Navy and keeping several horses during his earlier and later years in Reed City. Steve also enjoyed making knives for family and friends, and occasionally even used the sewing skills he learned in the Navy to hem his granddaughter’s pants.

Steve was a man of strong character who spoke his mind and stood by it. Those who knew him best also knew him as a storyteller at heart, the kind who believed a good story was worth telling well—and often. Family members could count on hearing familiar tales more than once, becoming part of the rhythm of gatherings and the fabric of shared memory.

Steve is survived by his beloved wife, Deb; his sons, Michael (Andrea), Christopher, Matthew (Maggie), and Jesse; his grandchildren, Christopher, Lily, Marlowe, and Willa; two great-grandchildren; his sister, Linda (Craig) Dewey of Paso Robles, California, niece Madeline Thompson; and many cousins who will remember him in their own meaningful ways. Steve also leaves behind stepsons Troy and Hosea Clementshaw from his first marriage.  

His family would like Steve to be remembered as a man who built things that lasted, whether in metal, in leather or in the lives of those he loved. A celebration of life will be held at a future date.