Remembering The Four Sueppel Children
By Mark Geary, Reporter
By
Mark Geary
Story Created:
Mar 28, 2008
Story Updated:
Mar 28, 2008
IOWA CITY -- Just about everyone who knew Steven Sueppel describes him as a man who cared deeply about his wife and kids. Understanding why he killed his family has been difficult for many people.
The children were always by Steven and Sheryl's side. Sister Agnes Giblin knew all four Sueppel children well, and says they were always polite, kind and caring.
“I would give them books. An occasion never went by that they got something from me that I didn't get a thank you note from each one of them...whether it was a scribble or whatever, but their names were signed to it," Giblin said.
10-year-old Ethan was an aspiring cello player who impressed everyone with his musical abilities. He also loved to play soccer and other sports. "He was his grandfather's golf-partner. He'd always go golfing with his grandfather. He always was very smiley and outgoing," Giblin said.
8-year-old Seth was much different from his brother. "A little more shy, Seth loved animals. He had two pet rabbits that were very special to him," she said. He also loved gardening flowers and vegetables.
Mira was supposed to celebrate her sixth birthday this week. "They called her the boss. She loved to dress up," Giblin said.
Little Eleanor never spent much time apart from her Barbie dolls and her dress up clothes. “Eleanor was very docile, very loving..she was always very patient," Giblin said. She was only three-years-old and family called her "the princess."
All four children had big hopes and dreams that Sister Agnes believes will come true in heaven.
Sister Agnes was also Steven Sueppel's third grade teacher. She was there when the couple got married and when they adopted all four children. This weekend, she'll be at their funeral.
Saturday, Mar 29 at 11:50 PM MSC wrote ...
To me the only good that could possibly come of this is making people understand that domestic violence can happen to anyone. Please for the love of God look at this for what it is.I feel for the family. May God give them comfort.
Flag for moderationSaturday, Mar 29 at 11:41 PM Rachel Cadena Schlueter wrote ...
Right. And the family and any family should have the privacy and right to remember their loved ones how they wish. Steve was loved too. A better scenario than him taking his family with him, is just taking his own life, but the best scenario would be that he get the help he needed so things didn't go this far. I hope we as a community can build programs to help people in trouble. I don't know them personally, so I cannot say anymore.
Flag for moderationSaturday, Mar 29 at 11:04 PM Mesug wrote ...
No one should judge him? Maybe only those tolerant of mass murderers shouldn't judge. Yeah, he cared so deeply about his children that he beat their heads in so bad that the cops had to go back to retrieve skull fragments! He didn't just snap. This was premeditated mass murder.
Flag for moderationSaturday, Mar 29 at 10:34 PM Jessica Leigh wrote ...
Who is caring for the boy's rabbits? Do they need a good home? I would hate for them to end up at a shelter... If anyone knows, please email me at jessica.mangler@gmail.com
Flag for moderationSaturday, Mar 29 at 6:51 PM Trina wrote ...
No one should judge what happened and respect the families wishes to forgive him for thier sake...Noone knows what goes on inside a persons head when they are so stressed out from all he had gone thru. God bless them all i pray for the ones left behind. No one is defending him i think people are too quick to judge. Stress can make even the good person flip out and lose sanity
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 5:30 PM Classmate wrote ...
I have not spoke to Steve Sueppel since the end of 8th grade when I left Regina. I can think of nothing at the time that would suggest this. He was a pouplar kid but always nice. I remember going to Regina basketball games when his brothers were playing and My brother was on the bench. We ran out side the gym and goofed off like a lot of kids our age. I remember watching "Creature Feature" when at a sleepover at his house. Something outside the scope of normal happened in his life to cause this
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 4:42 PM Please read my sentiments... wrote ...
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and freedom of speech, however the Suppel and Kesterson families are entitled to the compassion, respect, and privacy a devastating situation like this deserves. Please remember to take into consideration the family and friends of the Suppel family when voicing your thoughts about the events that occured this week. Try to place yourself in the shoes of those directly affected by this tragedy and write your comments to help heal not hurt
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 4:21 PM Anonymous wrote ...
What a beautiful story......Mark, you are a great writer! May God bless those poor children.
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 3:57 PM Susan wrote ...
God bless them all!!
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 12:14 PM no comment name wrote ...
I agree 100% with perfect from expereine wrote ...All I wanted is for everyone to remember the innocent sweet children and to remember he took them away from here and I wanted the children and Sheryl to get the blessings they deserve and also a wonderful caring perfect father WOULD not kill his family. I just feel people are saying it was ok for him to do this - and it was not at all ok in any way.
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 10:23 AM Anonymous wrote ...
Mira was a sweet loving child. She loved to color and make projects in my religious education classroom. She showed up each week in decked out in purple or pink because those were her favorite colors. She was the most caring and loving little girl I have ever met. I hope she is still able to color in heaven and I hope she still runs around with her brothers and little sister. May God be with her.
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 9:44 AM perfect from expereine wrote ...
To the outside world, Steve was a perfect family man,a church going man, but no one knows what went on behind closed doors. I spent 30 years portraying my perfect family life to the outside, but inside it was hell. Battered women and abused children do not always "tell". Perhaps his wife asked him to leave, that she had had enough. Did he murder his wife and 4 children so noone would find out his true nature. NO loving father could blundgen 4 children to death. May GOD protect his victims
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 9:25 AM anonymous wrote ...
God Bless these sweet, wonderful children. Our prayers will continue.
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 9:02 AM anonymous wrote ...
i think we all should quit being so judgmental. what's done is done. nothing can turn back the hands of time. maybe the people that knew steve would rather remember him as a decent person instead of a murderer. and it's not for us to judge how he should be remembered. i'll be glad when the funeral is over. then the family can finally be at rest.
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 8:50 AM Anonymous wrote ...
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and freedom of speech, however the Suppel and Kesterson families are entitled to the compassion, respect, and privacy a devastating situation like this deserves. Please remember to take into consideration the family and friends of the Suppel family when voicing your thoughts about the events that occured this week. Try to place yourself in the shoes of those directly affected by this tragedy and write your comments to help heal not hurt.
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 6:11 AM bob wrote ...
Let's be fear, we just don't know what was going on in his maind, the storm bloking his human thinking...It is very hard to accept wherever he comited. But we are nobody to judge him, what he do was terrible.........But the time will come when he will be in front of the LORD. Just like any body else of us. Let the lord speek and we woun't be the the one which judge him..Peace to all..
Flag for moderationFriday, Mar 28 at 12:10 AM Rachel Cadena Schlueter wrote ...
It was selfish of Steve to take their lives. They were beautiful and I wish he would have understood his wife and kids would be ok. I understand taking his own life but not innocent others. Nonetheless, everyone should respect their family grieving. Every individual should be allowed the respect to grieve in privacy and without people disrespecting them by holding a protest. The family and friends are suffering right now and I hope they have a beautiful day of remembering their loved ones.
Flag for moderationThursday, Mar 27 at 9:52 PM noname comment wrote ...
Ok, we need to rememberthe poor children who had to die because of their ** father. I want every one to remember the sweet children and their mother - I wish people would stop defending this man who killed them and took them from this world. More needs to be said for the children and mother. I just wish he would of taken his own life and not any one eless
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