Steve Mcendree

Steven James McEndree was born May 22, 1957 to Howard Clyde and Barbara Joan Ballou McEndree.  He was welcomed home to the family ranch in Northwest Baca County by sisters Jo Ann and Kaye.  It wouldn’t be many more years until baby sister Cathy completed the family. The extended family from both parents played an integral role in his life.

Steve was a fourth generation resident of his family's ranch where caring for the land, the animals, and family were so deeply ingrained it became part of his DNA.  He attended Pritchett School where he made many memories with his friends.  He was an active 4-H’er with the Big Rock 4-H Club, taking projects such as sheep and leathercraft.  He was involved in FFA and proud to have served as the manager for Pritchett’s 1973 State Championship Basketball team.

After high school, Steve loaded up his Capri and moved to Sterling to earn his Associates from Northeastern Junior College.  Steve moved back to the ranch once he had completed his education at NJC.  He loved going out with his friends and cousins, doing things like an overnight engine swap in a car so they could go drag race.

Not long after moving home, a scheme was cooked up, by his uncle, to set him up on a date with his friend’s daughter, Jamie Ann Claunch.  At Jim’s birthday party that year at The Anchorage, Steve and Jamie were introduced.  That was April.  The scheme must have worked because they got married December 18, 1980 just a few months later.  Jamie was teaching in Lamar, so Steve moved into her trailer in Lamar and made the drive to the ranch every day.  About three months later they decided to reverse the plan and moved to the ranch.

Christmas Eve 1985 brought the birth of a beautiful baby girl, Amanda Ann.  The family stayed busy ranching and operating Steve’s custom hay business.  Steve took great delight in singing “Amanda, the Light of My Life” loudly and off-key to his little “Blondie”.  Every day it was his favorite way to wake his baby up.  For decades.

Not quite three years later, after a very difficult pregnancy that had Jamie on bedrest for eight months and two year old Amanda as Steve’s sidekick when Grandma Marvina wasn’t available, Randy James was born November 14.  He was worth all the trouble he caused to get him here.

Their early years as a family were spent in the trailer house on the hill.  After the death of Steve’s grandma Ceely, Steve and Jamie bought the house that JT and Cecelia had moved in from the construction of the dam at Caddoa.  Steve used a skid steer to dig a basement under the house.  After Clyde’s passing, Steve, Jamie, Amanda, and Randy moved to Clyde and Barb’s house at the center of the ranch.  They made a very happy home there.

Steve believed in hard work.  He often told his family to stop wasting daylight and that they could sleep when they’re dead.  He believed in serving his community.  He served as a thirty year 4-H leader for the Big Rock 4-H Club, as Baca County 4-H Council Advisor for many years, and was Colorado 4-H State Senate Advisor. He served on the Baca County Conservation District Board for nearly twenty years as well as a term on the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts Board.  He spent around twenty years on the Baca County Fair and Rodeo Board donating hundreds of hours each year to the fair.  He was a Pritchett School Board Member.  He was a long time member of the Bent Prowers Cattle and Horsegrower’s Association and Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, including serving as President of Bent Prowers and advisor to the Junior Colorado Cattlemen’s Association.  Steve and Jamie were class sponsors, working in concession stands and taking kids on senior trips.  He loved working with youth.  He was always willing to help kids, he even chaperoned a Wiley FFA National Convention trip.

Steve and Jamie enjoyed going to the Mountain States Ranch Rodeo Finals each year and the National Ranch Rodeo Finals.  They went to breakfast in town every Sunday.  They were still so in love with each other after 45 years together.  Steve was so ornery and loved to pick on people.  He especially enjoyed winding Jamie up.  If he went to an auction he would call and ask “how much do you love me?” before getting home. They rarely went places separately anymore.  If you needed one of them it was a pretty safe guess they were together.

Steve and his family loved exploring the ranch, checking out grasses and plants, looking at homesteads, finding fossils, and generally spending time together in the places they love.  Steve developed a passion for innovative practices in rangeland conservation.  He was not scared to implement new practices in his quest to harvest the best  grasses and plants the prairie could produce.  He loved to learn and grow as an agriculturalist and share that knowledge.  In 2011, Pipe Springs Ranch, the ranch shared by Steve and his sisters, and managed by Steve, won the prestigious Leopold Award for Conservation, thanks to countless hours of research and lifelong learning by Steve.

Steve had a zest for life.  He wanted to live life to the fullest and was willing to do what it took to be a part of his family and community.  Steve privately battled kidney disease for twenty years; Making countless doctor visits and lifestyle changes in his fight.  In 2021, while camping in South Fork, Steve’s family and Kaye’s family got the amazing news that Kaye was a match and could donate her spare.  October 19 of 2021, in the nick of time, Kaye gave Steve the gift of returning to a normal life.  His family was thrilled.  Although they all questioned it after Steve returned to his early mornings and long days and demanded it of his family as well.

Despite his workaholic ways, Steve never missed his childrens’ activities.  That later became true for his grands as well.  Steve even flew to New Zealand when Randy studied abroad there to spend time with him. .

Steve really thought he needed grandkids and started harassing Amanda and Randy in their early twenties.  It was a frequently wished for hope for Steve.  He went so far as to buy a baby quilt at the church bazaar, in about 2010, telling the kids that whoever gave him grandkids first got the quilt.  Amanda threw a wrench in that when the “first grandkid” was twins.

Having grandbabies was the highlight of his life.  Steve loved them fiercely.  They would play, read, snuggle, go for walks, hunt petrified wood and fossils, look at animals, and build stuff.  Anything to be together.  He would do just about anything to see them happy and healthy.  He was extremely proud of them.

Steve cultivated true friendships throughout his life.  He loved his “bonus” kids that married his children.  He also had cousins that were more than just cousins, including Milton Rink and Dale Jagger who was more a little brother than a cousin.  Pat, Mike, Joel, Zaylan, Randy, Don, and many others were all guys he could bounce ideas off of or discuss the lack of rain with.  Everywhere he went he saw somebody he knew and should chat with.  He was always happy to lend a hand to his friends.

Steve leaves behind a legacy of lives touched.  His love for his family is unmatched.  The dedication to his community has a far reaching impact.  He may have left suddenly and too soon, but his impact will be felt for years to come.

Left to mourn Steve are his wife of 44 years, Jamie McEndree, daughter Amanda (John) Saunders, son Randy (Koby) McEndree, grandchildren Mika Saunders, Ayzlin Saunders, Declan Saunders, Ronin Saunders, James McEndree, and Baby Boy McEndree coming in June.  Granddad would have called the baby George as all boys were and girls were Georgette.  Also mourning are sisters Jo Ann McEndree, Kaye (Joe) Kasza, and Cathy (Dick) Tebay.  Special niece who was more like a bonus daughter, Susan Kasza, as well as other nieces and nephews.  A very large McEndree/ Ammann family and Ballou family will remember him as well.

Steve’s family has so many fond memories of his love and ornery ways.  Singing Kaw-liga, making sure to get the “beouuuuuuw” in it.  Taking the family camping.  Buying the girls their dresses for the theater because they were spending their Christmas money on them and he thought they looked so beautiful.  Helping to haul junk to the kids “fort”.  Taking the boys with him to do jobs.  Taking the time after the work was done to play in the water and mud after a big rain.  Pacing the house during a blizzard.  Insisting his family “get up and get after it.”  Handing out nicknames wherever he saw a fit.  Being a smiling face in the stands at any of the kids’ activities.    He loved to take Jamie to see the baby calves.  He was always making note of where pretty flowers were growing on the prairie or neat rocks everyone needed to see.  Steve passed away doing what he loved on April 26, 2025.  Steve spent his final day surrounded by family then chasing cows.  He will be so very missed.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to Steve McEndree Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Community State Bank, 1030 Main Street, Springfield, Colorado.