Born November 23, 1962 at Blythe, Ca. Passed away July 18, 2019 of a heart attack at his private practice, Living Solutions Counseling and Play Therapy, in Independence, Mo. 

Steve was raised in Tulsa, Ok. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree at William Jewel College in Liberty, Mo which he attended on a football scholarship.  After college he coached American Football in Finland, Switzerland and The Netherlands before returning to the US. He worked for Children’s Medical Center and Department of Human Services in Tulsa while earning his Master’s Degree at Northeastern Sate in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

After achieving his Masters he moved to Liberty, Mo and set up his private practice while working on his Doctorate degree. Steve worked in a field he loved for 30 years, with 25 of those years being in private practice. Steve felt providing counselling and helping make other people’s lives better was his ministry. He had a deep concern and genuine caring and love for his patients as well as his mother, family, and friends who needed a little advice, support and love.

Steven loved the mountains but didn’t take nearly enough time away from the responsibilities of his practice to enjoy them often enough. He had to make sure his mom had a nice secure place to live and patients/friends were taken care of. Unfortunately he didn’t realize the “caretaker” needed to be taken care of, too.

He is survived by his mother, Sharon Kaye Black, his aunts Eva Black, Joanna Black, his uncle Web Shirley, and great aunt Reba Pettit as well as a number of cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Johnnie Holeman, a sister, Deborah, grandparents Haskell and Nadean Black, Uncle Wendel Black, Uncle Haskell Black and Aunt Barbara Shirley.

Services will be held Saturday July 27^th at 2:00 pm, Community of Christ Church, 1220 West Liberty Dr., Liberty, Mo.  Additionally, a memorial service will be held in Atwood, OK on August 3^rd at 2:00 pm at the Atwood Church of the Nazarene.