Obituary for Steven LaMond Winton
Steven LaMond Winton was born March 12, 1949, in Santa Paula, California to Otis LaMond Winton and Beverly June Horton Winton. Steve went to his Lord and Savior Friday, May 28, 2021.
He had a wonderful, carefree childhood in the beauty of Southern California, that he often described as being like the movie Sandlot. His parents noticed at a young age that he was quite intelligent. His father would often quiz him on all kinds of historical, mathematical, and practical facts. He loved playing baseball and football. He once was scouted by the LA Dodgers and had a tryout in Dodger Stadium. He played football for Rio Mesa High School, was Student Body President and Valedictorian in 1967, was scouted by several colleges for football, and received a full football scholarship to University of New Mexico. Soon after several practices at UNM, he broke his ankle three times in practices. This ended his football career much to his dismay.
He soon met (in 1967) the love of his life Julie Ann Spraggins, who helped to soothe his broken heart. They married in 1968 only six months after meeting.
After a lengthy discussion with his father regarding a needed career path change, he decided upon chemical engineering. He received an excellent ChemE degree from UNM.
He had a very diverse 53-year career working for companies in Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico, and working on projects around the world, offshore and inland. He had a brilliant engineering mind and would often, while lying on the floor on his stomach with a yellow pad, suddenly holler out “I’ve got it!” as he solved a difficult engineering problem for his company. He had a natural gift of teaching and loved sharing his knowledge and mentoring young engineers. He worked on projects both in the continental US, and several around the world.
Steve and Julie had two children, Jeremy born in 1971 (now married to Amanda), and Lisa born in 1976.
They have six grandchildren, Abigayle, Jessica, Sydney, Jordan, Elijah and Harmoni. And five great grandchildren, Rebecka, Olivia, Brayden, Ryker and Everett.
Not only was Steve a brilliant engineer, but he was a very devoted Christian and loved using his teaching skills to teach the word of God. He was often lined up to teach Bible classes years in advance. In about 1981, he became interested in the dilemma of creation and evolution. It launched him on a two-year period of devouring dozens and dozens of books on the subject. Before long he had developed a 13-week seminar on Creation versus Evolution called Creation, Evolution and You. For many years he taught this course at many churches, while his children would flip transparencies on an overhead projector, soon to be replaced by several containers of slides, and eventually morphed into a full-blown digital PowerPoint program. He loved teaching the many interesting facts he discovered on this subject and was constantly scouring publications for new information.
Over the years, Steve discipled and mentored many men both in Christian truths, and engineering knowledge. A legacy he leaves behind are many changed lives.
In 1985, Steve and Julie we’re blessed to be founders along with 15 other people of Hill Country Bible Church in Austin Texas. This was a highlight of Steve’s life! He was a founding elder, and a participant in the creation of a very successful church model. He was a visionary and a prayer warrior in this ministry.
In 2005, Steve and Julie were founders of Two Rivers Bible Church in Gonzales, Texas.
Steve loved teaching and playing with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He took great delight in them.
Steve and Julie loved traveling America and were in awe of God’s amazing creation.
Steve loved to play golf, especially with his son.
His amazing life ended suddenly, in the midst of teaching the book of Romans from the Bible, and in the midst of several engineering projects, and in the midst of a plethora of projects around their historic home. He used to say, that when he got to heaven, he envisioned a long table of engineers sitting listening to Jesus, and hearing Jesus say “guys y’all aren’t going to believe what I’ve got planned for you next! “It was his wife Julie’s great blessing to love and be loved by this wonderful man for 53 years. He will be greatly missed.
A memorial service celebrating Steve’s life will be held at 10:30 am Thursday, June 3, 2021, in Faith Family Church, 1820 E. Sarah Dewitt Dr., Gonzales, TX. with Pastor Forrest Hamilton and Pastor Jesse Elizondo officiating. Memorial services in Austin will be held at 11 am Thursday, June 10, 2021 In Hill Country Bible Church Lakeside, 3351 Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park, TX 78613. Friends may leave their condolences to the family by visiting www.seydlerhillfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.
He had a wonderful, carefree childhood in the beauty of Southern California, that he often described as being like the movie Sandlot. His parents noticed at a young age that he was quite intelligent. His father would often quiz him on all kinds of historical, mathematical, and practical facts. He loved playing baseball and football. He once was scouted by the LA Dodgers and had a tryout in Dodger Stadium. He played football for Rio Mesa High School, was Student Body President and Valedictorian in 1967, was scouted by several colleges for football, and received a full football scholarship to University of New Mexico. Soon after several practices at UNM, he broke his ankle three times in practices. This ended his football career much to his dismay.
He soon met (in 1967) the love of his life Julie Ann Spraggins, who helped to soothe his broken heart. They married in 1968 only six months after meeting.
After a lengthy discussion with his father regarding a needed career path change, he decided upon chemical engineering. He received an excellent ChemE degree from UNM.
He had a very diverse 53-year career working for companies in Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico, and working on projects around the world, offshore and inland. He had a brilliant engineering mind and would often, while lying on the floor on his stomach with a yellow pad, suddenly holler out “I’ve got it!” as he solved a difficult engineering problem for his company. He had a natural gift of teaching and loved sharing his knowledge and mentoring young engineers. He worked on projects both in the continental US, and several around the world.
Steve and Julie had two children, Jeremy born in 1971 (now married to Amanda), and Lisa born in 1976.
They have six grandchildren, Abigayle, Jessica, Sydney, Jordan, Elijah and Harmoni. And five great grandchildren, Rebecka, Olivia, Brayden, Ryker and Everett.
Not only was Steve a brilliant engineer, but he was a very devoted Christian and loved using his teaching skills to teach the word of God. He was often lined up to teach Bible classes years in advance. In about 1981, he became interested in the dilemma of creation and evolution. It launched him on a two-year period of devouring dozens and dozens of books on the subject. Before long he had developed a 13-week seminar on Creation versus Evolution called Creation, Evolution and You. For many years he taught this course at many churches, while his children would flip transparencies on an overhead projector, soon to be replaced by several containers of slides, and eventually morphed into a full-blown digital PowerPoint program. He loved teaching the many interesting facts he discovered on this subject and was constantly scouring publications for new information.
Over the years, Steve discipled and mentored many men both in Christian truths, and engineering knowledge. A legacy he leaves behind are many changed lives.
In 1985, Steve and Julie we’re blessed to be founders along with 15 other people of Hill Country Bible Church in Austin Texas. This was a highlight of Steve’s life! He was a founding elder, and a participant in the creation of a very successful church model. He was a visionary and a prayer warrior in this ministry.
In 2005, Steve and Julie were founders of Two Rivers Bible Church in Gonzales, Texas.
Steve loved teaching and playing with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He took great delight in them.
Steve and Julie loved traveling America and were in awe of God’s amazing creation.
Steve loved to play golf, especially with his son.
His amazing life ended suddenly, in the midst of teaching the book of Romans from the Bible, and in the midst of several engineering projects, and in the midst of a plethora of projects around their historic home. He used to say, that when he got to heaven, he envisioned a long table of engineers sitting listening to Jesus, and hearing Jesus say “guys y’all aren’t going to believe what I’ve got planned for you next! “It was his wife Julie’s great blessing to love and be loved by this wonderful man for 53 years. He will be greatly missed.
A memorial service celebrating Steve’s life will be held at 10:30 am Thursday, June 3, 2021, in Faith Family Church, 1820 E. Sarah Dewitt Dr., Gonzales, TX. with Pastor Forrest Hamilton and Pastor Jesse Elizondo officiating. Memorial services in Austin will be held at 11 am Thursday, June 10, 2021 In Hill Country Bible Church Lakeside, 3351 Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park, TX 78613. Friends may leave their condolences to the family by visiting www.seydlerhillfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.