Steven Dewayne Shope

On January 21, 2021, Steven Dewayne Shope, 54, of New Lebanon, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family after a long, courageous battle with multiple sclerosis (MS) and cancer. Born October 29, 1966, to Harold Vincent and Hazel (Richmond) Shope, he dedicated his life to being a steady support and constant source of laughter for his wife of 30 years, his children, granddaughter, siblings, parents, nieces, nephews, friends, and coworkers. Steve is survived by his loving and dedicated wife Shelley Shope; children, Jacob and Shelby Shope; granddaughter, Ava Mae Shope; and siblings, Deb (Ron) Wilson, Ronnie (Carla) Shope, and Anthony (Ella) Shope. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Gary Shope; niece, Amy Erica Wilson; and special mother-in-law, Lois Maertins. His firstborn, Jacob, made him the proudest father and gave him his first grandchild, Ava, who was the light of his life in his final years. Steve enjoyed time with his son building and racing bicycle motocross, and later (although apprehensively) supported his musical endeavors. Shelby, his only daughter and forever “little girl,” was his pride and joy, especially on the athletic fields – from volleyball and softball tournaments to countless trips to basketball games and tennis matches. Serving as a Gunner’s Mate in the U.S. Navy from 1986-1990, Steve’s shipmates remember his constant antics that kept them on their toes and his fresh-baked bread that kept them well-fed during their long deployments at sea. After his service, Steve enjoyed working as a welder, painter, foreman, and a safety supervisor at Konecranes (formerly MPH Cranes and Morris Material Handlings) from 1991-2015. During his 24-year career, he had many great coworkers and memories, but begrudgingly retired early after MS began to affect his ability to walk and write. There was never a dull moment with Steve in the room because he always had at least one unusual escapade on tap. “Stevie” loved to hunt and fish with his brothers, take golf cart rides in the woods, and have a good time with his family and friends. An Ohioan through and through, he was a diehard Cincinnati Bengals and Reds fan and rooted for OSU religiously. Steve will be deeply missed by his family and friends, who will remember him for his never-ending pranks, dedication to a strict schedule, bird call and cricket whistle, dog-whispering abilities, sidesplitting idioms, karaoke with his own spin, and countless jokes. Visitation for Steve will be held on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, at Roger’s Funeral Home (324 W. Main St., New Lebanon, OH) from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. with the funeral service beginning at 12 p.m. Burial will follow at Trissel Cemetery (653 South Diamond Mill Rd., New Lebanon, OH). In lieu of flowers, donations to honor Steve’s legacy and life can be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society on Steve’s Memorial Page online at: http://bit.ly/MS-Steve by calling 1-800-344-4867, or by mail to National MS Society, 900 S. Broadway, 2nd Floor, Denver, CO, 80209; or to the American Cancer Society Memorial Page online at: http://bit.ly/ACS-Steve or by calling 1-800-227-2345, or by mail to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123. To access online links please scroll down to the bottom of this page.