Steven Corum

1952 - 2025

Dr. Steven Paul Corum, 73, Chaplain Educator and Minister.

Dr. Steven Paul Corum, a longtime chaplain educator, military chaplain, and clergy member, and who trained generations of hospital and military chaplains across the Upper Midwest, died September 17, 2025, from advanced dementia surrounded by his family at Dougherty Hospice House. He was 73.

Born February 10, 1952, in Sacramento, Calif., to Richard Ivan Corum Jr. and Jean Millicent (Wolf) Corum, Steve grew up in the city's Greenhaven neighborhood. An Eagle Scout and trumpet player, he delivered the afternoon Sacramento Bee as a teenager and used his savings to buy his first car, a 1962 Opel Cadette. He graduated from Kennedy High School in 1969 at 17. He then attended Sacramento City College for two years before transferring to the University of California, Davis, where he earned degrees in History and Secondary Education.

After a brief period teaching middle-school history-an experience Steve liked to say confirmed that the classroom was not his calling-he attended the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, S.D., earning a Master of Divinity degree. He returned to Sacramento in 1978 as a youth pastor at First Baptist Church where he met Jill Renée Poppe, a college student. He invited her for a Coca Cola-his favorite drink. They enjoyed a year of courtship and married August 11, 1979.

The couple moved to Susanville, Calif., where he served as pastor to First Baptist Church and joined the U.S. Army Reserves as a chaplain officer, beginning a parallel military career that would span more than three decades. The couple welcomed their son Sean Paul in 1980. After their daughter, Joylynn Renée, was born in 1984, the family moved to Terrell, Texas, where Steve became a chaplain at Terrell State Hospital-work that deepened his commitment to compassionate spiritual care. Steve and Jill's second son, Scott Richard, was born in 1988, and their second daughter, Julianne Marie, was born in 1991. While raising a young family, he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Texas Christian University in 1991 and completed accreditation as an Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) supervisor.

In 1992, the family moved to Sioux Falls, where Steve joined McKennan Hospital (later Avera Health) as Assistant Director of Clinical Pastoral Education. He retired in 2020 as Director of the program after 28 years of teaching chaplains across the Sioux Empire region. Many of his students still refer to themselves as "STCs"-Steve-Trained Chaplains.

Steve also served as a chaplain in the South Dakota Air National Guard, retiring in 2012 after deployments around the world with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He provided pulpit supply for area churches and, with a colleague, co-founded The Church Doctors, a consulting ministry for struggling congregations.

Outside his vocation, Steve was devoted to fitness, family, and sports. He rarely missed a 5:45 a.m. spin class and enjoyed long walks and bike rides with Jill. A lifelong sports fan, he remained loyal to the 49ers and San Francisco Giants, making annual trips to watch NFL games with his sons. Music was another joy; he sang bass in the church choir and loved classic rock from the 1960s and '70s. He often danced his daughters around to the classic hits. Steve also delighted in his grandchildren, Atlas Nikola and Elowynn Poppy. He is remembered for his warmth, humor, and deep compassion for others.

Dr. Corum is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jill; children Sean, Joylynn (Kreton), Scott, and Julianne; grandchildren Atlas and Elowynn; sister Cindy; and many extended family, friends, colleagues, students, and fellow service members.

Services: Visitation 5–7 p.m. C.T. Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, Miller Funeral Home–Downtown, 507 S. Main Ave., Sioux Falls, SD. Memorial service 12 p.m. C.T. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, First Baptist Church, 1401 S. Covell Ave., Sioux Falls, SD, followed by a luncheon. Interment with military honors 2:30 p.m. P.T. Friday, Oct. 31 (arrival 2 p.m.), Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Rd., Dixon, CA, with a reception to follow at 4 p.m. C.T., Embassy Suites, 100 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA.

For additional information and the livestream link of the 10/25 Memorial service, please visit www.MillerFH.com.