Steven Allen "Steve" Kessler

1948 - 2024

Steven A. Kessler (75), of Yucca Valley, passed away on March 22, 2024. He was born on Oct. 12, 1948, at Long Beach Naval Hospital in California to Steve and Mary Jane Kessler.
Steven was a resident of Yucca Valley for 58 years. He grew up on military bases throughout the United States and Japan. When his father retired from the Air Force, the family moved to Yucca Valley in 1965. Steve graduated from Twentynine Palms High School in 1967. He married his wife, Linda Kessler (Hardesty), in 1970. They welcomed four beautiful children and raised their family in Yucca Valley.
Steve enjoyed bowling, golfing, shooting pool and fishing throughout his life. The family spent many years camping in the Eastern Sierra mountains and boating and fishing on the Colorado River. He taught all his kids and grandkids how to fish. He got a big kick out of a story two of his grandsons told him. They said they had been watching a group of teenagers fishing unsuccessfully. They told Grandpa that "they must not have a grandpa because they don't know how to fish." He loved off-roading and camping with friends and family. He enjoyed watching his grandkids in all their sports from soccer, basketball, football, baseball and softball to motocross racing. He was always there cheering them on.
He also enjoyed his woodworking and he was a talented woodworker. He built a beautiful heirloom cradle for his first grandchild in 1989 that has been used by all eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren since.
Steve was a journeyman wireman with the IBEW Local 477, working on commercial industrial jobs in Southern California for 35 years before retiring. As a union electrician, he was on the crew that built the JW Marriott in Palm Desert, the Mitsubishi cement plant near Big Bear, countless hospitals and the U.S. Festival in 1982 at Glen Helen Regional Park.
Steve was preceded in death by his only son, Daniel Steven Kessler, his parents, Steve and Mary Jane Kessler, and sister Sheryl Humphreys.
He is survived by Linda S. Kessler, his wife of 54 years; his sister, Susan (Mike) Gueltzow, of Yucca Valley; three daughters, Jenny (Richard) Doling, of Palm Desert, Shelley Green, of Yucca Valley, and Lisa (Jamie) Whalen, of Yucca Valley; his eight grandchildren, Alicia (Dusty) Long, of Escondido, Trenton Doling (Baylie), of Palm Desert, Hailey Green (Mike), Kaenen Kessler, Wyland Green, Teagan Whalen, Jake Whalen and Karley Rush, all of Yucca Valley; two great-great-granddaughters, Laila and Marley; and one great-great-grandson, Miles. He was blessed with many wonderful nieces and nephews, as well.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at St. Mary's Catholic church at 7495 Church St., Yucca Valley, California. All are welcome.