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CHRIS STEAD

Chris Stead will always be remembered as a laid back, fun-loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. He was always available to lend a helping hand, word of advice, a shoulder to cry on, or a joke to lighten the mood. He counseled anyone who was in trouble, especially young people. He made friends easily everywhere he went.

He loved fishing, camping and sports of all kinds. He never missed the opportunity to watch his grandchildren in a game, a theater production, a recital and was known to frequent the Wheeling Symphony. He especially loved country music, but also looked forward to the Heritage Blues Fest and even got to see his musical hero Willie Nelson in a live performance.

He had a great love for the Lord, and despite his obstacles in life, stayed prayerful. He was a part of the Church of the Nazarene growing up and was baptized into the Catholic Church in 1998. He was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Neffs and spent his time in the choir singing alongside his wife Becky while she played the organ. He was also a part of the Parish Council and a CCD teacher and enjoyed planning activities for the youth. His favorite was the whitewater rafting trip. He was a jack-of-all-trades working as a Bellaire City Policeman, an insurance agent and he worked with Pittsburgh Sand and Gravel. He was a manager at Fireplaces’N’Fixins and owned his own construction company. He was a CDL truck driver for many years as well. He was a teacher for the elementary school. It was his dream to build a recreation center for the kids at St. John to utilize. He was a guard for the WV Penitentiary and in his retirement enjoyed serving as a security guard for many different companies.

In retirement, he also enjoyed specialty advertising and network marketing. He served his country as a proud member of the United States Air Force and the United States Army. He served three tours in Vietnam and always hoped to return. He also received the “Order of Purple Heart”. He loved to volunteer. He was part of the Ohio Valley Relief Center and also transported veterans to the VA Hospital when needed. He left his house to help others work on theirs and would answer the call if anyone needed him day or night.

Despite his spinal cord injury in 2013, he still enjoyed driving and shopping. He even drove seven hours to adopt Jemma, his pit bull. She and his favorite cat, Baby Girl, will miss him tremendously. He loved traveling to Florida, where he lived a couple years, but his favorite trip was to Ireland, while he was still confined to a wheelchair. Chris was born in Sistersville, WV on November 28, 1942, the son of the late Floyd T. (Pete) and Verna I. (Margie) Grimm Stead. He was a graduate of Sherrard High School, but was actively involved with the alumni association of both Sherrard and Paden City High Schools. Chris leaves behind to hold onto his precious memories and unique sense of humor, his wife of 21 years; Rebecca (Gray) Stead, St. Clairsville, OH; his children, Todd Stead (Angela) Manassas, VA; Troy Stead, Columbus, OH; Toni Lynn (Stead) Ledbetter (Brian), Xenia, OH; Marci Muckleroy (Todd) Canfield, OH; and stepchildren Kevin Bickmeier (Denielle) Canonsburg, PA and Angela Theil (Richard) Cincinnati, OH; 14 grandchildren; his brothers Larry Stead (Connie) Morgantown, WV; Ken Stead (Linda) Paden City,WV; and his sisters Rita Young, Moundsville, WV; and Alice Ewing (Bill), Wheeling, WV. He is preceded in death by his youngest brother Tony Stead.

Family and friends will be received to Bauknectht-Altmeyer Funeral Homes & Crematory, 441 37th Street, Bellaire, Ohio, on Thursday from 11 a.m. until time of Mass at 1 p.m. at the St. John Catholic Church, Bellaire with Fr. Daniel Heusel as celebrant.

Chris’ family respectfully request masks and social distance be observed. Interment in the Belmont County Memorial Park Cemetery, St. Clairsville with Full Military Honors by the Moundsville Veterans Honor Guard. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. John Academy by going to TMCFunding.com. Share your thoughts and memories with Chris’s family at www.bauknecht altmeyer.com.

To view services for Chris, please go to the following link https://client.tribucast. com/tcid/58650367.