Photo: Diana & Steve Werges (from Steve’s Facebook page) | Loss of Steve Werges – COMBO has lost another of its long-time members Steve Werges. Steve served on the board of COMBO from 2007 until 2012 and was one of the members who approved the new logo and name change. Steve also entertained us at our summer get-togethers and at one of our holiday parties. He was a current member of the Rail Ramblers band, along with his good pal S. “Doc” Wilson who also served on the COMBO board. Steve leaves behind his wife Diana and three daughters and many other relatives. Hard to believe this as Steve last performed with his band at Gennaro’s on November 13th. (See Steve’s obituary below). You can leave a message for Steve at https://www.facebook.com/steve.werges
Brittany Werges: Here is the obituary I wrote for my dad with service details. We will wait until Summer 2022 to do a large celebration of life. We would like to see you then.
Steve Werges passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, in his sleep on November 16, 2021. But unlike his death, his life was not a quiet one. A loving father to three girls, a lead singer, guitarist and forever adventurer, Steve was a person full of passion and lived his life accordingly. Over his 70 years he taught himself many skills. A classic Coloradan, he skied, fished and golfed most of his life. But around the age of 50 he took his love for music seriously and he dedicated himself to the guitar and took vocal lessons. Soon after, he started a band. In 2021, he was nominated to the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame as Best Lead Male Vocalist, with his band, The Rail Ramblers, receiving a nod as the Best Band of the Year.
But Steve’s greatest passion, and joy in life, was his family. His three daughters, Alexandra, Brittany and Taylor were his world. He was always deeply involved in their lives and transferred his talents to become their first teacher. He first taught them how to love the outdoors, a passion that continues for all three to this day. They spent their early years on the ski slopes and mountain trails of Colorado, often escaping in the family camper for getaways to the Great Sand Dunes and Red Feather Lakes. As the kids grew, weekends took place at soccer games and basketball tournaments, where he was often the team coach.
Steve loved his girls wholeheartedly alongside his first wife Cindy, with whom he raised their kids together until she passed away in 2011. He loved and admired her deeply for her tenacity, work ethic, silliness and dedication to their family. They cultivated deep roots in Colorado and built a large extended family with help from his beloved father Mel Werges, his sister Kristine Glover and brother Dave Werges. Steve and Cindy hosted an annual Christmas Eve celebration with as many as 30+ people in attendance. They always made sure the family got together for major holidays. Steve’s family didn’t end in Colorado though, as he had a large family in Iowa through his biological father Keith Shearer, who loves and survives him even today. In his later teens and twenties he connected with his siblings Paul, Peter and Sally Shearer with afternoons water-skiing on the Mississippi. Eventually he would bring his kids to catch lightning bugs with their cousins in the twilight hours of Dubuque.
But even as his kids became adults, and his first wife passed, his love for family and fun never waivered. He took to traveling the world and did everything from skiing the Alps in Switzerland to meeting musicians in Cuba and drinking the finest wines in Italy. He loved big family trips with his girls and their companions to the British Virgin Islands and jaunts along the Oregon Coast and across Europe with his second wife Diana. Steve never wanted to slow down and never did. The day before he died he spent it golfing. Despite his recent arthritis, he walked the entire course — soaking up every second he could of a beautiful Colorado day. That night he went to bed, tired from a busy, sunny day, with a belly and heart full — ready for wherever he was going next.
He is survived by his three daughters, Alexandra, Brittany and Taylor; his brothers and sisters Dave Werges, Kristine Glover, Paul, Peter and Sally Shearer; his father Keith Shearer; his companion Diana Wallis; his many nieces and nephews; his countless friends and close bandmates; his son-in-law Kevin Chritz and his first grandchild, four-month-year-old Sloane Cynthia Chritz — his most recent pride and joy.
A family funeral will take place in the coming weeks, but a larger celebration of life will be planned for summer 2022. We want everyone who loved Steve to attend then. If you’re interested in being notified of summer 2022 plans, please sign-up at http://bit.ly/stevewerges
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Love Hope Strength (http://www.lovehopestrength.org) an organization that was near to Steve’s heart that helps cancer patients find bone marrow donors at concerts around the country.
Check Steve’s Facebook page out for this: Steve Werges sign — Well I won’t be doing trivia every Monday. And definitely will not be providing a $500 signing bonus. However I will be playing with my band the Rail Ramblers Saturday night 9 to 12!