Steve Overton Whetzel

Steve Overton Whetzel
March 27, 1948 – August 10, 2024
Steve Whetzel passed away at Kona Community Hospital on August 10, 2024. Born March 27, 1948 to Virgil Overton Whetzel and Sally Beryl Ours in Petersburg, West Virginia, Steve grew up in Moorefield. The family later moved to Ohio and Florida.
He served in the Navy from 1965-1969 and served 3 tours in Vietnam aboard the USS Coontz. He was a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner licensed to practice both in Hawaii and California. Steve was a member of the Kona Elks, DAV, VFW and was recently installed as Post Commander of American Legion Post 20. In California he was a member of Niles Rotary and Livermore American Legion Post 47.
Steve graduated from San Jose State University with a BA in accounting and passed the CPA exam. After college he joined the CPA firm of Arthur Anderson in San Jose, CA and later joined the firm of Greenstein, DiMarta and Rogoff in Fremont, CA where he became a partner in the firm. In 1994 he opened his own accounting practice in Pleasanton, CA. He retired in 2017.
Steve enjoyed fishing, golf, scouting and traveling. He served as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader and was High Adventure trained. He and Chandra traveled internationally to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, Ireland, Japan, Australia and Canada. They enjoyed attending the USS Coontz shipmate reunions which took them to San Antonio, Annapolis, Nashville, Buffalo and lastly Bremerton, Washington where the USS Coontz was constructed at Puget Sound. Their U.S. travels also took them to Boston, Memphis, New Orleans, Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, San Diego, Florida, Hawaii and Alaska. In 2023 they became permanent Hawaii residents.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Chandra Whetzel, and son Ian Whetzel; sisters Donna Santiago (Ozzie), Patty Copalko; brothers Jerry Whetzel, James Gregory Whetzel (Maritza); nieces Cheryl Galanti, Michelle Stanley, Ashley Madrid, Nicole Whetzel, Jackie Santiago; nephews Dennis Whetzel, Richard Gherardi, Joshua Santiago and their families.
Steve is preceded in death by son Ryan Whetzel, parents Virgil and Sally Whetzel, brother-in-law Allan Copalko and nephew Michael Whetzel.
Service with military honors will be held Friday, September 6, 2024 at 11 am with inurnment at 12 noon at the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery.