RICHMOND, Ind. – Walter H. Sieb Jr., 80 years young, left us on January 12, 2017, on his final, but most beautiful, ride to meet up with all of our angels that have gone before him.
The son of Walter H. Sieb Sr. and Ruth Elizabeth Sieb, Walter, or Howard as most knew him, was the second generation owner of Esmond’s Shoes and spent his life making people comfortable, whether it was with his vast knowledge of how to make your feet feel good, his sense of humor to make you smile, or his quiet faith that, “with God all things are possible.”
Born in East Lansing, Michigan, on April 4, 1936, he came to Richmond with his family in 1950 when his father, Walter Sieb Sr., took over management of Esmond’s Shoes. He graduated from Richmond High School, Class of 1955. He had a newspaper route with the Palladium- Item and worked for Monty Hannah at Hannah’s Grocery before working for his father at the shoe store. He took over the business when his father retired in 1976, passing it on to two of his children in 2000. He retired from the store in 2011, at the age of 75.
In 1956, he met the love of his life, Marcia Kay Bowen Sieb, when she saw him through the window of the shoe store and told her daddy that he was the man she was going to marry. The rest of the story is a 61 year fairy tale with their marriage on June 1, 1958, blessing them with 58 years of marriage and working together side by side in the store.
They were blessed with three children and their bonus children that they were very proud of, Julianne and her husband, Bob Snively of Richmond, Donald and his wife, Debra of Blythewood, South Carolina, and Rodger and his wife, Lisa of Richmond. They also enjoyed one favorite granddaughter, Rebecca Anne (Brad) DeLoach of Vass, North Carolina; two awesome grandsons, Justin (Ashley) Sieb of Richmond and Alex Sieb of Lake Orion, Michigan; and three really special great-grandsons, Colton and Cal DeLoach and Cooper Sieb.
His love of anything with a motor made for many a good story starting with Whizzer Motorbikes. He loved his cars and motorcycles, and his children always knew to find him in the garage when not at the shoe store. He brought home a 1930 Chevy Sedan that he drug from a field in 1977 and spent 30 plus years building it into a beautiful award- winning show car. He was never in a hurry to finish it because as he always said, “There are things that will end up on this car that have not been invented yet.” He enjoyed the company of many car friends over the years. He loved his motorcycles and for many years had a full rig with sidecar and trailer which he and Kay took on many a trip, enjoying the beauty of the Colorado and Great Smoky Mountains and the back roads of his home state of Michigan. These long trips and regular short trips were enjoyed with several couples who became another part of his family and many wonderful memories were made.
He will be greatly missed by his wife; children; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; sisters, Ruth Louise (Jack) Study of Dublin, Indiana, and JoAnn Keen of Zionsville, Indiana; brother, Chuck (Diana) Sieb of New Paris, Ohio; brother-in-law, Bob Walther; step-mother-in-law, Alice Bowen; uncle, Norman (Wilma) Sieb of Michigan; and many nieces and nephews who loved their Uncle Howdy.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter H. Sieb Sr. and Ruth Elizabeth Sieb; parents-in-law, Roy and Marjorie Bowen; sister-in-law, Donna Walther; brothers-in-law, Bob Study and Charles “Chick” Keen; and niece, Elizabeth “Libby” Ward.
He lived his life full of love and laughter and received enjoyment in every day. He was a man who never sat still and was always willing to help another in any way he could. He was so loved and will be missed by so many. One of his very favorite sayings was, “Put your life in God’s hands and your feet in Esmond’s Shoes.” He did both.
Visitation for Walter H. Sieb Jr. will be from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, January 15, 2017, at Doan & Mills Funeral Home, 790 National Road West, Richmond. Funeral service will follow at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, January 15, 2017, at Doan & Mills Funeral Home with Pastor Terry Cochran officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Memorials Processing St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959; Help The Animals Inc., P.O. Box 117, Richmond, IN 47375; or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Condolences may be sent to the family via the guest book at www.doanmillsfuneralhome.com.