Local Navy submarine officer was a warrior, hero

by Wyoma Groenenberg
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 12:51 PM MDT

Master Chief Petty Officer Kevin Page never bragged, so his parents didn’t know all of his accomplishments and missions while in the United States Navy.

While Bob Page and Judy Steffens of Casper probably never will learn everything about their 39-year-old son’s military career, they discovered a lot at his two funeral services in Hawaii.

Kevin, a 1987 NCHS graduate, died Aug. 27 in Honolulu from his second battle against leukemia and after receiving two bone marrow transplants.

Following services held at the Submarine Memorial Chapel at Pearl Harbor and the Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery, his parents said that Kevin’s commanding officers and shipmates lined up to talk to them about their son.

“That young man was dedicated to our country, to our freedom, and he really wanted to give 30 years (to the Navy), but with his sickness and all, he only ended up with 22,” Robert said about his son.

In talking with others, his step-mother Judy said the words used to describe Kevin that really caught her attention were “great warrior.”

“(Kevin) is my hero, will always be my hero,” she said, but noted that she never had seen him as a warrior, because Kevin never told his parents much about his Navy achievements.

They did know that Kevin, a submariner, had reached the highest enlisted rank in the Navy, a master chief petty officer. After serving aboard three subs, he completed qualifications to become a chief of the boat (COB).

So about a year ago, he was named COB of the USS Cheyenne, the first Wyoming citizen to earn that appointment. Kevin even designed his own coin, which submariners often do, his parents said.

They also believe he was being primed by the Navy to work at the Pentagon.

Bob said that Kevin never thought he was better than anybody, and he always encouraged them to be better or “to go for it.”

Judy explained that they taught their seven kids from their first marriages that “everyone has a right to be on this Earth” no matter what race, sexual orientation or anything.

Happy celebration

The family is planning a celebration of Kevin’s life at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Ramada Plaza Riverside.

There will be some formal parts in the service, but the celebration will continue as long as people stay, Judy said, adding that there will be food.

They’re asking for Hawaiian or casual attire, and everyone is invited to share memories of Kevin. His step-brother, Michael Steffens, will perform guitar solos and his longtime friend, Chad Lore, also will be on hand with entertainment.

His wife, Lisa, who will be moving back to the mainland soon, and his siblings, Stephanie, Dennis, Ben and Heidi won’t be attending this service. But his step-sister, Linda Harrison, will along with her brother.

An all-around good guy

According to Mike Colling, a former neighbor of the Pages and a member of the Casper Police Department, Kevin was a “fine young guy … responsible and really caring.”

At one point when Kevin started hanging out with the “wrong crowd,” the Pages gave credit to Colling for helping get their son back on track.

In addition to Bob’s ultimatum that Kevin would join a military branch, his parents noted that Colling talked with Kevin about the military.

Colling hadn’t seen Kevin for about 20 years, but said Bob was proud of his son and kept Colling up to date about Kevin’s life.

Mike Gaither, a childhood friend, remembered Kevin as fun-loving, friendly and adventurous and shared memories confirming his thoughts.

Gaither recalled days when they played at Nancy English Park, wearing their fathers’ military uniforms n Bob was in the Marine Corps and Mike’s dad, Jim, had been in the Army.

In junior high, he said, a group of friends would gather to perform in their “air band,” playing recorded music and then imitating playing imaginary instruments that the band would have used to produce the song.

Gaither said Kevin usually was the drummer, but the guys periodically would switch instruments n easy enough to do when they aren’t real.

Their first job in high school was mowing lawns around town. However, some of their work entailed whistling at girls who were passing by, Gaither said.

He knew that Kevin’s naval career was going well when he got a call from the Navy, asking questions about Kevin’s character for a background check to be used for security clearance.

The last that Gaither had heard was Kevin’s leukemia was in remission, so he was shocked to hear about his death.

About Kevin’s death, Judy said, losing a son in the military, whether it’s at war or to an illness, is classifying death, something she doesn’t believe in doing.

“Loss is loss … he was defending our country,” she said. “We never gave up hope in believing in miracles.”

Kevin was told he had nine weeks or nine months to live; he only lived for five weeks after the diagnosis.

But Judy believes her prayers for a miracle were answered.

“Mine was that he didn’t have to suffer any more than he had to. … Kevin was sick, but he did not suffer.”

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