Stephen "Steve" Pedro

Stephen Steve Pedro, 90, of Great Falls, made his journey to his Lord on Monday, January 30, 2017.We honor his life which began on December 26, 1926 in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii where he was born to Hattie Koopua and Manual Pedro. The family included siblings David, Ernest, LeiMomi, Johnny and Lily. Steve spent his summers on the island of Kahoolawe until 1941 and attended grade school on Maui.Steve was working for the Libby and McNeil Cannery in Honolulu in 1941 where he witnessed the Pearl Harbor bombing. He then worked for the Navy in 1942, during which time he built the pill boxes on the shore of Maui on Kihei Roadsome of which are still visible today. Steve joined the Army Air Force in January 1944 on Maui when he was 18. He spent a year in the infantry stationed at Schofield, HI, and Camp Roberts, CA, and then transferred to Germany in 1946. While in Germany, he was assigned as a courtroom guard with the Military Police for the Nuremberg Trials guarding Hermann Goering. While overseas, he was also involved with the Berlin Airlift and was a crew chief in Germany and Austria.After a brief return to Hawaii in 1948, he transferred to Hickman Air Force Base in 1948-49, Johnson Island in 1950, and finally was stationed at Malmstrom in Great Falls in January of 1951. This is where he met the love of his life, Virginia Gondeiro, and they were married on July 3, 1954 and spent the next 62 plus years together. Two weeks after the wedding, Steve was shipped to Guam for 18 months without Virginia. While there he worked with the Security Police, and returned to Great Falls in January of 1956. Then began a string of transfers every year or so starting with Fairchild Air Force Base (Spokane), Yuma Air Base in Arizona in 1958, McDill in Tampa, FL in 1959 and back to Malmstrom in 1960. In 1962, Steve and Virginia, Andrea, LeiLani and young Steve were transferred to Itazuke Air Force Base in Japan. In 1964, they transferred to George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, where Steve retired in September of 1965 at the rank of Tech Sergeant. They moved back to Great Falls where Steve worked for the Civil Service as a civilian at Malmstrom as a jet mechanic since he had received this training while in Yuma. Steve ended his illustrious career in Great Falls in March of 1985.Steve was active in the Knights of Columbus, reaching the position of Grand Knight. He was involved with the VFW as an honor guard for military funerals. He was extremely active in the church giving of his time and energy in many capacities including sacristan, Eucharistic minister and usher up until his passing.Steve loved to gardenno doubt from his past in Hawaii where everything grows, as well as barbequing, golfing and listening to Hawaiian music. Many trips were taken with his family back to his childhood home in Hawaii. He loved his family and always did whatever he could to attend functions involving his children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren.Steve was preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings.His legacy lives on in the lives of his children and their families: Andrea and Boomer Miller and their children, Jason Miller (Krista) and Shelby Williams (Brian); LeiLani and Bob Jolliffe and their children, Erik Jolliffe (Tricia), Jesse Jolliffe (Andee) and Tyson Jolliffe; Steve Pedro (Judy) and his son, Cody, along with six great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, and treasured friends.A vigil service for Steves life will be held Monday, February 6, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. The funeral liturgy will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at Holy Spirit as well. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Memorials can be sent to Holy Spirit Catholic Church or Poor Clares of Montana.