Stephen Pyle
Age - 77
November 12, 2023
Stephen (Steve) Howard Pyle, son of Noble Woodrow Pyle and Dorothy Verna (Ensminger) Pyle died November 7, 2023, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with his wife of 49 years, his children, and his grandsons by his side.
Steve was born June 28, 1946 in Decatur, Illinois. He married Elizabeth Charity Campbell on August 3, 1974 in Ilion, New York. They had two children, Michael Jason Pyle (Chloë Schama) and Cathryn Charity Pyle (Tyler Bundy), and have three grandsons, Moses Noble, Franklin Alexander, and Ulysses Arthur, and one granddaughter Calliope Grace.
Steve attended Decatur MacArthur High School and was a proud member of the Class of 1964. He graduated from Culver-Stockton College in 1968 where he was an active member of Lambda Chi Alpha, both as an undergraduate and alum. Being a Hawk (Lambda Chi) at Culver was a point of pride for him. He graduated from the University of New Mexico with a master’s degree plus doctoral hours in Kinesiotherapy in 1972.
He taught physical education at Mound Junior High from 1968-1971 and at Woodrow Wilson Middle School from 1973-1978. He thoroughly enjoyed his work as a teacher and a coach, and these years served as the basis for many of his favorite stories to tell. He kept up with the lives of so many of his students for decades after leaving the profession and was always among the first to celebrate their joys and offer support in their sorrows.
Steve was deeply committed to service in every community of which he was a part. He was a proud member of Decatur Breakfast Sertoma Club for 25 years and the Noon Lions Club of Bowling Green, KY. He served as a member of the Niantic-Harristown CUSD school board for several years. He maintained strong ties to his MacArthur Class of 1964 and helped bring together classmates from all over the country for reunions. He was equally committed to his alma mater Culver-Stockton and the Hawk house, regularly attending homecomings and other important events and working hard to ensure that each new class knew the house’s history and connected to their brothers across the ages.
Steve started Landmark Studios in the fall of 1981 as a professional photographer. He was nationally board certified by the Professional Photographers of America and his studio earned their top rating as a "Q" Commercial Studio. He was the Illinois Photographer of the Year in 1996, the only photographer in Decatur to receive that distinction. He was honored to share his talents with over five hundred brides, along with thousands of seniors and families, and to help businesses and organizations promote their abilities and products through his expertise from behind his camera.
Steve retired in 2011 and moved to Bowling Green, KY. In retirement he became known for his landscape photography, hanging many of his images in galleries throughout the south and sharing his work on social media.
He loved Beth, his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren wholeheartedly and was so proud of their accomplishments. He considered many people close friends, and he will be waiting on the other side to share a coke or a cup of coffee and, of course, a good story with lots of laughter.
Steve is survived by his wife, his children and their spouses, grandchildren, brother-in-law Greg Campbell (Jill Frost Campbell), nephew Geoff Campbell and nieces Kimberly Campbell Schultz and Kristina Campbell Burne and their families, and several remaining cousins and their families. His remains will be interred near his parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents at Grove City Cemetery south of Mt. Auburn, IL.
A visitation/memorial service will be held Saturday, March 23, 2024 (time TBD) at Brintlinger & Earl Funeral Home in Decatur, IL. The family would like to thank the staff at The Medical Center in Bowling Green, Hosparus Health, our friends at Brintlinger & Earl Funeral Home, and all of the many friends, classmates, fraternity brothers, students, customers, and others who have provided care and support to Steve and his family in the recent days.Show more
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