Rev. Steve Koeppen Colorado Springs, Colorado Funeral Officiant & Celebrant

08/22/2025

Yesterday, August 21, 2025, the family gathered to remember & celebrate the life of Norma Jean Brugh here in Colorado Springs. Ashley, granddaughter to Norma wrote and presented a beautiful Eulogy that touched all of our hearts, and certainly, brought back memories of wonderful times together. Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Karen Brugh, daughter-in-law to Norma, shared a very moving testimony of how Norma influenced her life in amazing ways.

In our visits with Norma, while she was declining physically, Linda and I knew that she enjoyed holding hands with us, and mentioning our names. As I prayed regarding Scriptures and thoughts to share yesterday, those visits with Norma, particularly in the past six months was a greater picture of who God is. The theme in both services focused on the fact that "God desires to hold our hand and that He knows our name. God not only holds us with His hands, but He lifts us with His hand. Thank God our salvation does not depend upon our FRAIL HOLD ON HIM, BUT HIS MIGHTY GRASP ON US! (Here are a few pictures of yesterday's time together including a family picture)

08/19/2025

REMEMBERING & CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MY DEAR COUSIN, NORMA JEAN BRUGH: We, as a family will be gathering together, for a second time this year, this time to celebrate the life and memories of Norma on Thursday, August 21, 2025 here in Colorado Springs. In January, we gathered to remember & celebrate Norma's husband, Bill, married 64 years. She and her husband were always there for me when my parents and twin made their journey into the presence of Jesus.

Thank you for your prayers, as I, once again, am privileged to officiate the services of a precious family member.

I love the words that the family has chosen for Norma's Memorial Card:

The garden changes with the seasons - what was once in full bloom now rests, waiting its time to rise again. In His Word, God reminds us, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand forever." Life may shift and seasons may pass, but His promises remain, and His love never fades.

John 11: 25 Says: "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die."

Steve Koeppen, Pastor * Living Way Ministries * Colorado Springs, Colorado

02/12/2022

03/24/2021

March 24th is a special day that the Koeppen family remembers and cherishes. This morning, my wonderful sister sent me this picture of our Dad, Bill Koeppen who would have been 99 today. He went home to be with Jesus on Christmas Eve, 1999 but his smile and memories are forever etched in our lives and most of all, his love in serving Jesus. Dad had quite the stamp collection and that was only one of his hobbies. The majority of my immediate family are now with Jesus, and although we miss Dad, Mom and my twin, Scott so much every day, we know that they are with our Lord and Savior. I hold on to this promise from 2 Corinthians 5: 1 - "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in Heaven, not built by human hands." That is promise made to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, the most important decision one can make in this life.

09/21/2020

Many of you know that I am an identical twin and I always felt extra-blessed to have Scott in my life. We were the best of friends and always cherished visiting each other after our childhood years growing up in Northern Indiana. We both were called into pastoral ministry and loved the people that God put into our lives.

As many of you have heard the story, Scott came out to visit Linda and me here in Colorado Springs on October 27, 2011. We knew that Scott had some health issues, but little did we know then that while he was visiting us, his health would decline. On that October 27th, we got him home and he immediately unpacked his suitcases. While he was unpacking, he pulled out five ties and told me that he would like me to have them. Two of those ties are pictured here. I was a bit curious at first why he would bring five ties with him when he had planned to only stay with us for two weeks. I then realized that he wanted to give them to me. The tie on the left reads: "THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME." The other tie is a Scripture tie that reads: "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE" taken from John 14:6. I had seen Scott wear these two ties at times. I remember saying to him, "Are you sure you want me to have these ties? I know that they are very special to you."

Nine days later on November 5th, Scott lost feeling in his right arm & side and we took him to the emergency room at St. Francis Hospital here in Colorado Springs. They took a Cat-Scan and noticed that there was something lodged near the brain. The next day, they took an MRI, and later that day we were given the news that Scott had stage 4 brain cancer. It was too far advanced for any surgical options and the surgeon said he had maybe three weeks to live. Linda and I decided to care for him in our home with the assistance of hospice. My sister and mom came here to see him and help care for him. On November 30, 2011, while I was quoting John 14: 1-6 to him, including the verse on the tie on the right, Scott took his last breath here and his first in the presence of Jesus.

Scott would often say in our conversations that "THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME." Yes, God put us here for awhile, but for the believer in Jesus Christ, we are living on earth but longing for Heaven.

In our growing up years, my sister, brother and I would often sing at home around the piano and in church services as well.
One of the songs Scott and I especially sang was "UNTIL THEN' written by Stuart Hamblen. In these difficult and uncertain days, the words of this song should put life into perspective. Here are the words of the song, "UNTIL THEN."

"My Heart can sing when I pause to remember, A heartache here is but a stepping stone. Along a trail that's winding always upward, This troubled world is not my final home.

The things of earth will dim and lose their value, if we recall they're borrowed for a while. And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble, remembered there will only bring a smile.

But until then my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I'll carry on. Until the day my eyes behold the city, until the day God calls me home."

(Living Way Ministries / Pastor Steve Koeppen)

09/03/2020

GOD ON THE MOUNTAIN (Written By Lynda Randle) Not too long ago, I shared this in a message in a church service.

Life is easy, when you're up on the mountain
And you've got peace of mind, like you've never known.
But things change, when you're down in the valley,
Don't lose faith, for your never alone.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, He'll make them right.
And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times,
The God of the day is still God in the night.

We talk of faith way up on the mountain,
But talk comes easy when life's at its best.
Now it's down in the valleys, trials and temptations,
That's where your faith is really put to the test.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley,
When things go wrong, He'll make them right.
And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times,
The God of the day is still in the night.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PLACE BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HEART.

God bless you today! Living Way Ministries / Pastor Steve Koeppen / Colorado Springs, Colorado

07/17/2020

Today, July 17, 2020, we celebrate and remember the life of Lieutenant Colonel, Roy William Wampler and his service to our country in the Air Force. Thank you for your prayers for his family. His dear wife, Marion passed away last year - Rev. Steve Koeppen, Minister, Officiant / Colorado Springs, Colorado

03/20/2020

Especially in these times of uncertainty, but daily I claim and hold on to this promise from the LORD in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." The following verses continue that promise: "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity."

I tend to be a very structured person in my planning for a day's work, a week's work and even way beyond that. But this thing I know, I can plan, plan, plan but those plans can be interrupted at any given moment and I can "plan" on that. Disasters,unforeseen circumstances interrupt people's plans every day. I remember well in 2011, when my twin brother, Scott came out to Colorado to visit us for two weeks, we had made plans to have a great time seeing the sites of Colorado and having fun. We had no idea that his stay with us would lead to his decline in health, a diagnosis from a brain surgeon here that Scott had stage 4 brain cancer and that the rest of his stay here on earth would be caring for him until his journey to Heaven 34 days later from his arrival. God's plan was that we would be together before he made that journey.

Does that mean we should not make plans, set goals and plan for the future? Absolutely not. It's knowing that we do not have a guarantee that those plans here on earth will take place. But one thing I have 100% assurance of and that is the LORD's plan for us is best, the very best and that, when we trust in Him as our Savior & Lord and we allow Him to be the Commander of our lives, our life will be prosperous --maybe not from the world's perspective but from the One who created us and loves us so much. Blessings to you from LIVING WAY MINISTRIES / Pastor Steve Koeppen / Colorado Springs, Colorado

03/19/2020

When the stormy and unexpected seasons of life come and our plans change, the one thing we all long for is connection and peace. All of us need to know that we don't have to be alone, and we need to find some peace amid those turbulent times, to rest awhile as we wait for the circumstances to blow over. Life can get tough and change really fast but with Christ living within us, He gives us strength and courage to get through. John 16:33 says: "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Things in this world are going to pressure and crowd us at times.Life is going to require and ask more of us than we think we can give. But in the One who loves and provides for us, we are not defeated for God is in our corner. When we choose to praise God in these uncertain times, we find ourselves surrounded by a peace that changes everything. He is our peace in the stormy and peaceful times. - A Message from Living Way Ministries / Pastor Steve Koeppen / Colorado Springs, Colorado

12/15/2019

On Thanksgiving Eve, Linda and I lost a special friend and a lady that loved the Lord with all of her heart. Dorothy Lewis was an absolute joy to know. Linda and I initially met her when I officiated her husband, Roy's service in 2015. Now, they are together in the presence of Jesus. I have been asked to officiate Dorothy's Celebration of Life Service on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 here in Colorado Springs with interment at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver later that day. Thank you, Dorothy for all the wonderful lunches and dinners you provided for Linda and me. (Dorothy pictured with her husband, Roy)

09/06/2019

Today, September 6, 2019, we celebrate the life of Hedwig "Hedy" Hopper, born in Germany and became a United States citizen in 1954 and was proud to be an American. She was actively & happily involved in supporting her husband, Elvin Eugene Hopper who served in the Army for 31 years and was a Command Sergeant Major. Among many hobbies, Hedy taught sewing & knitting for Sears and was a tutor for Colorado College students here in Colorado Springs. A Celebration of Life service will be held today at The Shrine of Remembrance. - Rev. Steve Koeppen / Living Way Ministries / Celebrant & Minister / Colorado Springs, Colorado