Steve Willoughby

WILLOUGHBY Steve Willoughby, age 55, of Lee's Summit, Mo., died unexpectedly at his home on Friday, April 24, 2009. Steve was born on September 20, 1953, in Independence, Mo., to Myron A. Willoughby and V. Louise (King) Willoughby. Steve was married to Sherwyn (Smith) Myers on July 4, 1996, at the home of his parents in Kansas City, Mo. Steve was preceded in death by his father, Myron A. Willoughby, on December 24, 2000; his paternal and maternal grandparents, and a baby brother, Glenn Willoughby, who died at birth. He is survived by his wife, Sherwyn of the home; his daughter Heather J. Russell and her husband Kimo M. Russell of Independence, Mo.; his son Aaron M. Giddings of Independence, Mo.; his grandson Jayden H. Russell, and his mother, Louise Willoughby of Kansas City, Mo. Steve is also survived by several aunts, uncles and cousins. Steve developed an early interest in trap shooting while traveling with his father, who was a member of the Amateur Trapshooting Association. In 1970, Steve won his first two trapshooting events, winning a new car at both of these events, which sparked his interest and lifelong love of automobiles. In 1975, at the National Trapshooting Competition in Vandalia, Ohio, Steve and Myron won the Parent Child Event. In 2002, Myron was entered into the National Trapshooting Hall of Fame, where Steve proudly accepted the award on his belated father's behalf. Steve attended UMKC, earning his associates degree in business administration. After college, Steve worked at Armco Steel for a brief time until he found his passion for bowling and owning his own business, known to many as "Hole in the Ball, Pro Shop" in the early 1980s. Steve's passion for bowling started back as a young child, where you could find him sleeping in the settee area while his parents were bowling in several leagues at AMF Strike N Spare in Independence, Mo. Since Steve has been classified as a professional trap shooter, he had to give up his amateur status as a bowler until he became an adult. Steve has been a well-respected friend and bowler throughout the Kansas City bowling area. Steve has been a sanctioned member for the past 27 years. Steve's accomplishments in bowling have resulted in him bowling thirty-eight 300 games and nineteen 800s, along with numerous 298s and 299s. Steve bowled his first 300 in August 1986 and on December 15, 1999, he bowled back to back 300s for a series of 815. In 1985 and again in 1991, Steve won the Gardner Floor Covering Masters Tournament in televised events at Gage Bowl in Topeka, Kan. Steve's favorite tournaments out of town were when he was participating in the High Roller in Las Vegas, Nev., and the Super Hoinke in Cincinnati, Ohio. Steve was Bowler of the Year for the GRKCMO, USBC in 1985 and again in 2000; he was also inducted into the local Hall of Fame in 2005. Steve will be missed by his family, and also by his bowling family, which is too numerous to mention by name. The family would like to thank the entire bowling community for all of their support during this difficult time. A celebration of Steve's life will be at noon on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, at Langsford Funeral Home in Lee's Summit, Mo. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon. Interment will be at a private ceremony at Floral Hills East. Arrangements by: Langsford Funeral Home, 115 S.W. 3rd St., Lee's Summit, MO 64063, (816) 524-3700.