Steven Wade Morton, age 65, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning, February 12, 2025 after 23 years of living with and fighting prostate cancer.
Steve was born October 19, 1959 in Monmouth, New Jersey to Robert D.W. Morton and Velta June Morton. He grew up in Mesa, AZ where he graduated from Mesa High School (1977) and married his high school sweetheart, Teresa Hughlett on July 27, 1979.
Steve found a life-long passion for Christian ministry at 17, leading a youth group at Twin Knolls Pentecostal Church of God. The same year he also began working for Mesa Public Schools, where he would serve the children of Mesa for 37 years, retiring in 2015. He loved working for MPS, building lifelong friendships, leading bible studies and praying with co-workers, and serving the community in his work. From 1984 to 1993, Steve also served on staff at Apache Junction First Assembly as Youth Pastor where he assisted in preaching, directed worship, youth, and outreach ministries. During this time he attended Berean School of the Bible and became an AG licensed minister in 1990. He maintained his credentials until his passing on the 35th anniversary of his licensing ceremony.
In 1993, he began attending Red Mountain Christian Center (Via Church) with his family, where Steve volunteered in youth, worship, and adult teaching ministries faithfully for several years. From 2014-2019, Steve pastored a congregation he loved dearly at Pathway Christian Fellowship in Apache Junction (now Rock Church AJ) along with Teresa and daughter Carrie.
During his retirement, he enjoyed driving his new truck, walks in the park, watching new construction, discovering natural beauty, building projects at home or with others, various ministry opportunities, and spending time with his family and friends.
Steve was a loving husband, father, brother, son, papa, pastor, woodworker, musician, project manager, creative planner, plumber, dreamer, builder, adventurer, dirtbiker, and reluctant painter. He loved his family: taking drives or walks with Teresa, vacations with his family, breakfasts or lunch with his kids, shenanigans with the grandkids, spending time with his brother, visits with mom, big family gatherings with his in-laws. He loved Jesus: studying the bible, worship music, ministry, and the boundless grace of God. Steve loved and was loved by so many people and will be greatly missed.
Steve was preceded in death by his father, Robert Morton and is survived by his mother June Morton, brother Michael (Judith) Morton, wife Teresa Morton, and children David (Christine) Morton, Jared (Diana) Morton, and Carrie (Nicolas) Delarosa, and grandchildren Evan, Caleb, Gibson, and Lincoln Morton.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00am Monday, March 3 at Via Church in Mesa (740 N Power Road) followed by graveside services at Mountain View Cemetery, then lunch and visitation at Via Church. A live stream will be available at https://youtube.com/live/9IjFkgM3azw.
Arrangements were cared for by Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery located at 7900 E. Main Street in Mesa
