Steven Richard Haley

Steve Haley, a longtime resident of Temecula, California and part-time resident of Lake Havasu, Arizona, passed away in the presence of our Lord on June 1, 2024. He was 69. Steve was a devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, grandfather (Popi), neighbor, friend and patron saint of uninformed boaters and off-roaders.

Steve was born on October 22, 1954, in Sioux City, Iowa. the son of Richard and Mary Haley. Later the family moved to California.

It was in 1972, while Steve was wrapping up his high school years at Troy High School in Fullerton, California that he met Denise.

The two enjoyed more than five decades in a loving and loyal relationship, Denise was the apple of his eye. After high school, Steve went to Fullerton Jr College and later enjoyed success as a hunky football player at Long Beach State. Denise was off at USC but his allegiance to her remained steadfast for all the rest of their years together.

Steve delighted in his family. Balancing his full-time career as a Regional Industrial Sales Manager for more than 20 years with his the most important job of parenting. He and Denise created a stable and loving home for three daughters. The Haley family were often accompanied by the girl’s friends on weekend adventures to Lake Havasu where Steve was often the only testosterone on the boat, which he took in stride. Steve experienced such joy with the arrival of each grandchild.

Denise and Steve’s home was always a safe haven for boisterous littles and exhausted parents. He was so remarkably proud of his daughters. Steve and Denise raised strong girls. All of them smart, tenacious and loving. To the credit of their parents, the girls are coveted friends to all the old folks their parents are friends with!

Steve commented that his greatest achievement was his family. He especially close to his mother, Mary during after his father passed away and later when she moved to assisted living. His loving attention to Mary included regular visits, numerous check-in phone calls, and tireless support as Mary faced elder issues. Steve was an enemy of no one, always friendly and loads of fun. Many of his friends can share a story or two of his alter ego, Stefan.

While Steve was more on the quiet side, he definitely loved to make people laugh. Even when his health declined, he kept his sense of humor. He led a highly active lifestyle. He was always on the go, whether it be cruising to Alaska and the Caribbean, trekking through Europe, vacationing in Hawaii, chasing his grandkids around, maintaining several homes, jeeping in the winter months, or boating most summer weekends on the lake. Simple things gave him such pleasure, pride in wiping down his boat on the beach, smoking a cigar, a nice sip of good tequila, a trip to get twin haircuts with his grandson or reading with the “littles”; all of these things made him smile from ear to ear. It was the little things that gave him pleasure.

Steve’s love for and loyalty to his family was evident by the strength and fight he showed while battling for his life - to the end his devotion to them remained unswerving. Steve was preceded in death by his father, Richard Haley, and his sister, Lynn Loveless. Steve is survived by his wife Denise Haley; his mother, Mary Haley; daughters, Jennifer Haley, and Alyson Haley; granddaughters, Madison Rowley, McKenzie Rowley, Blake Rowley and Landon Rowley of Temecula, CA; and daughter Stephanie Haley, and grandson, Brody Gardner, of Flagstaff, AZ; and sister, Sharon Haley Zone of Los Angeles, CA