Harry "Hal" O'Steen
Carrollton & Farmers Branch
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1978 The Roar
R. L. Turner High School
Carrollton, Dallas Co., Texas
Senior Class

 

OBITUARY
 
Harry Irving "Hal" O'Steen
January 9, 1959 ~ January 15, 2022

After four hard years of multiple chronic illnesses, Harry Irving "Hal" O'Steen's prayers for God's mercy were suddenly and unexpectedly answered on January 15, 2022 at the age of 63. He and his wife were just hoping for a whole lot fewer hospital stays and surgeries, or possibly even a kidney transplant, but he ended up with a Heavenly healing instead, and has now been made whole again for eternity.

Hal was born in Orlando, Florida on January 9, 1959 to Enoch Lester "Bud" and Virginia June "Ginny" Morgan O'Steen after a very bumpy shortcut his dad took through a palmetto patch in a 1949 Mercury coupe. On the ride up in the hospital elevator, much to everyone's surprise, it was discovered that he had already been born on the gurney; he weighed only 5 pounds.

When Hal was about 6 months old, the young family moved to Texas, and lived in the Carrollton/Farmers Branch area. When he was 12, he started helping his dad at the family business, which was a glass and mirror shop and also custom auto upholstery. Hal focused on the glass part of it, and was a glazier the rest of his working life, with the exception of a few years when he was a wrecker driver. He often said that was his favorite job of all times, because he really enjoyed rescuing people out of bad situations.

He was the oldest of two children, but their house was always full of kids that were considered part of the family. They had horses early on, and enjoyed going on trail rides. Their family also loved to fish together, and still do. He was on the motocross team as a teenager, and he drove a souped-up 1966 Mustang that you could hear coming, long before you could see him. Hal graduated from R.L.Turner High School, in Carrollton, in 1978.

Shortly after, he married his high school sweetheart Melinda "Lindy" Harris, and they had a son, Michael.

His second marriage in 1983 to Teresa Walker gave him another son, Jarrod and a daughter, Katy.

Hal met Kim Patterson on May 27, 2008, and they married on July 4, 2013. She had never been married before, and she firmly believes God sent Hal to her to love, and to be loved, flawed as they both were. Since nearly the beginning, they combined their pets, Brady Bunch style, then added and lost several more during their time together. They were all family.

He loved hearing and telling a good story, and he knew every word to any song on country or rock radio; sang loudly in the car, and in the house. It didn't have to be Sunday morning to catch him listening and singing to the Gaither Brothers gospel music at top decibel, and sometimes weeping.

His favorite birthday dessert was pineapple upside-down cake. He enjoyed cooking outside, and was famous for his cheese grits, enchilada casserole and baked beans, using his dad's recipe, which used orange blossom honey. He two-stepped a million miles on country dance floors, rode nearly that far on motorcycles, and was ruthless at dominoes and gin rummy.

He and Kim especially enjoyed their morning coffee routine...often times, while outside watching the birds and squirrels.

To say Hal "loved Christmas" is an understatement. He was a big kid at heart, and was happily involved in all it took, to make it fun, and he also loved surprising people, year-'round.

But, his biggest joys came from just visiting with family and friends, and fishing for hours, every chance he got. He rarely erred on the side of caution, but was usually the first to apologize or forgive, as need, be.

Hal was preceded in death by both of his parents, a great-aunt "Nanny," Sarah Taylor, too many dear lifelong friends, his beloved 15 year-old Jack Russell terrier Annie, as well as numerous other family pets.

He is survived by his wife, Kim and their dogs, Henry, Morgan and Toby; his first-born son, Michael (Annie) and grandchildren, Austin, Sidney, and Madelyn; son, Jarrod (Wendy) and grandchildren Nicholas and Logan; and the youngest...daughter Katy (Justin).

He is also survived by his sister, June O'Steen Robinson, husband Kenneth, their children Robbie and Candice, and their respective spouses Crystal and Blaine, many friends, former work associates, and his first two wives.

Special thanks to several loved ones, who helped support he and Kim when he was unable to make a living anymore, and she stayed home to take care of him. They literally couldn't have made it without their selfless generosity.

Thanks also to a veritable army of health care professionals that saw to his every need.

A celebration of his life is still being planned. Details will be made available soon.

 

MEMORIAL
 
My brother, Harry "Hal" O'Steen passed away on January 15, 2022. We are awaiting his ashes before setting the date for his memorial service. It will most likely be on January 29th at the Cates Street Church of Christ in Bridgeport, TX.
Hal graduated from RLT Class of 1978.

... June D. Robinson, Jan 19, 2022

 

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