Worked hard, Played hard, Fought hard

I am proud to say that I am the sixth member of the Heidel clan. I always tell people that my parents practiced until they got it perfect...me! Then, five years later, my little sister Karen was born. Truth, they were devout Catholics. I feel very blessed to have grown up with so many brothers and sisters.
Family vacations were always a blast, watching my brothers play sports like soccer and wrestling, and I invariably had someone to play with, that's for sure. I remember all of us lining up, in order of course, on the stairs Christmas morning. It was always an exciting morning for our family with the tree all lit up, tons of toys under the tree, and Dad ready with the camera.
Since Steve was the oldest, he was always the last one down the stairs. He never seemed to mind because he always had a huge smile on his face too. Stephen was six years older than I so we didn't hang out too much when we were younger. I vividly remember when he left for college at Notre Dame University. He was definitely missed at home. Every time those Folgers commercials would come on TV where the son comes home from college, makes coffee and wakes up Mom and Dad, I always cried a little thinking about my big brother coming home for the holidays. Attending his graduation from Notre Dame was a very proud moment for me. He looked so handsome dressed in his Marine whites and I thought it was pretty cool that "my brother" was on an album with the Notre Dame glee club. I was a young teenager then so it didn't take much to impress me.
We did try to stay in touch over the years but I think we all got really close as a family the last several years. My brother Stephen had a strong personality, he was very smart, handsome, sarcastic as hell, and he had a huge heart. I am very blessed that my two sons got to spend time getting to know their Uncle Stephen and he got to know them. I just wish we all had more time to spend with him, as does everyone else. As Marines do, he worked hard, played hard, and fought hard til the day he left us. I will miss his pretty blue eyes, his sense of humor, his great big hugs and him calling me kiddo. He was the best big brother I could ask for and it is an honor to be his little sister. Love you Steve xoxo ~Nancy Heidel Holley