Steve L. Hay, 76, of Sully, passed away Sunday morning, Jan. 17, 2021, at Mercy One-Newton Medical Center. Visitation will be 2-7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21, at Sully Community Church without family present. A family funeral service will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 22, at Sully Community Church. Memorials have been designated for Lynnville Fire Department or Sully Fire Department and Ambulance.
Steve LeRoy Hay was born Sept. 1, 1944, in Newton. He was the youngest of five children born to Morris and Margaret (Stevens) Hay. Steve attended country school near Kellogg, walking to school uphill both ways, and graduated from Newton High School. While playing football in high school, he broke his nose and vowed to never play sports again.
Steve met Julia Sue Kruseman on a blind date, and they were united in marriage June 8, 1963, at Sully First Reformed Church. Their marriage was made special by just being together and raising their four sons: Mark Edward, Marty Joe, Michael Gene, and Marlo Dean. He had several different jobs before becoming the owner of the many facets of Kruseman Corporation. As the size of implements grew, so did their business. Steve, a farmer at heart, was actively involved in all aspects of the business, training and teaching his sons along the way to equip them to carry on the business.
Along with the demands of the business, Steve always found time to pursue his “hobbies.” He took great pride in tractor pulling and drag racing for Hay Enterprises, Inc. His many hobbies evolved from drag racing a ’38 Chevy, to motorcycles, and restoring Minneapolis Moline tractors. His desire to succeed drove him to self-educate, always facing challenges head-on, which made him the successful business owner he was.
Sunday, Jan. 17, Steve passed unexpectedly on arrival at Mercy One Newton Medical Center at the age of 76 years. He is survived by his wife Julia; their four sons and their wives: Mark (Kendra) Hay of Lynnville, Marty (Lory) Hay of Sully, Michael (Janel) Hay of Sully, and Marlo (Sarah) Hay of Lynnville; nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Of his original family, Steve leaves his brother Bill (Kay) Hay of Albert Lea, MN; and the following sisters-in-law and brother-in-law: Jenice Van Rees, Joyce MacKenzie, and Jean (Roger) Van Der Kamp, all of Sully.
Steve was preceded in death by his parents; his three sisters June Hay, Patricia (Wendall) Huff, and Nadine (Gene) Cooley; his parents-in-law Milo and Vera Kruseman; and brothers-in-law Leonard Van Rees and Jaron Van Maanen
“No job is perfect, it’s just good enough to get by.”
