Steven Robert Mengel

Steven Robert Mengel, 70, of Boise Idaho passed away on December 26, 2023 after a valiant battle with lymphoma. Steve was born February 26, 1953 at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington DC to his mother, Margaret Lee (Peg) Mengel and father, Herbert O. Mengel Jr. (Lt. Col. Ret.).

Steve, Mary Lee, his older sister, and parents moved to various places during his father’s military service, among them being Munich and Wiesbaden Germany, the Pentagon area of DC and lastly Mountain Home AFB in 1957. Steve attended grade school at Mountain Home AFB, high school in Meridian and completed his bachelor’s degree in business administration at Boise State University in 1976. Steve belonged to the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity.

Steve married Karen Johnson of Gooding Idaho (a fellow BSU alum and educator) in 1976 and they moved to Great Falls Montana where Steve worked for Carnation Company as territory manager. Their daughter Amanda was born there in 1978. In 1980 he returned to Boise to work at Nalley’s and then went on to become a business consultant with 7-Eleven Idaho. While both went on to remarry, Steve and Karen remained in touch throughout their lives.

Steve married Mary Benham York December 22, 1981 at his parent’s cabin in McCall.  In 1992 he was transferred to Portland Oregon with 7-Eleven and remained with them until 2013 when he retired. Steve and Mary celebrated 42 years of marriage just days before his passing.

Steve’s God-given gift was being a people person as he never met a stranger. Firstly, Steve dearly loved the Lord, his family and friends.  Coming in second place was duck hunting, fishing, boating, buying / selling / trading (especially cars and boats) and travel. Steve was always thinking of ways to make life better, easier and more fun! He delighted in playing Santa for children at Christmas for many years…making it a tradition every Christmas morning to go to 7-Eleven stores and to family and friends with presents and candy.

Steve is survived by his wife, Mary Benham-Mengel; his daughter, Amanda Mengel-Smith, son-in-law, Sam Smith, and grandson Nathan (Meridian); his son, Richard York, daughter-in-law Rini and grandchildren, Sage, Phoenix and Shakti (Muldrow Oklahoma); his grandson Cory Dean Ruzicka (Ocean View HI); his granddaughter Kayla Jane Ruzicka (Boise); his sister, Mary Lee Mengel (Boise) and her children: Greg Glindeman of Mountain Home Idaho (daughters Emily and Grace), Todd Glindeman (Laura) of Boise (daughters Skyla and Mailee) and Megan Herrett (Matt) of Boise (Maggie and Winston); his sister-in-law Elaine Benham Hutchison (Venice Florida); his sons-in-law Troy Henne (Boise) and Dana Ruzicka (Ocean View HI); cousins Jim Adcock (Rutherfordton NC), Nancy Adcock Wood (San Jose CA), Margy Housholder Pinnell (Morgantown WV), and Bob Housholder (Orlando FL); and last but not least, Abby and Bluebell (our dogs).

Steve was preceded in death by both of his parents and Lisa York Ruzicka Henne, his daughter and cousin Bill Adcock.

Special thanks go to Karen Johnson Boehlke (Amanda’s mother) for her role in raising my beautiful daughter to be the kind person she is; to my faithful and kind caregivers, Will Hawk, Craig Hicks and Lisa Sanchez; the St. Lukes Hospice team; Dr. Randy Barnes and Dr. Tobi Gopon of the St. Lukes Meridian Medical Clinic.

A  memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, February 3, 2024, at Five Mile Church of the Nazarene, 2701 S. Five Mile Rd. in Boise.

To attend the service virtually, please visit:

Time zone: America/Denver
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/agw-xndk-ikc

The path to the Facebook stream is https://www.facebook.com/5MileNazarene .

To watch the video tribute, please visit: https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/2PKZJYYS7DFN6B89

Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.