Walter “Walt” J. Steggall Jr., 74, of Ely, passed away on Saturday July 11, 2026. Funeral Services will be held 11 a.m. Friday, July 17, 2026, at St. John Lutheran Church in Ely by Rev. Brian Middleswarth. Burial will be held at First Presbyterian Cemetery near Ely. Friends may visit with the family from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at Brosh Chapel and The Avacentre, located at 2121 Bowling Street SW in Cedar Rapids.

Walt is survived by his loving wife of 41 years Michele; two children Shana (Randy) Staab of Swisher and Chase Steggall of Ely; grandchildren Peyton (Blake) Seda, Colton Staab, Keegan (Anika) Staab and Landon Staab; and great grandson Graham Staab all of Swisher.

He is preceded in death by his parents and sister Carol Benson.

Walter James was born November 6, 1951, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the son of Walter and Margarett Steggall. Walt was a lifelong resident of the Cedar Rapids and Ely area and graduated from Cedar Rapids Jefferson in 1969, where he excelled in football and baseball. He then attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon where he continued playing both football and baseball while earning his bachelor's degree in economics.

After graduation from Cornell in 1973 Walt attended law school at the University of Iowa where he graduated in 1976. He worked for a brief time in the public sector before going to work for Richard Holden, which later became the law firm of Holden and Steggall, where he worked up until his untimely passing.

While having an office upstairs of the old First Trust and Savings bank in Cedar Rapids, Walt met Michelle Erenberger who was working for the bank on the main level. They dated for several years before being united in marriage on June 22, 1985. They then raised two children, Shana and Chase.

Walt practiced law in Cedar Rapids for 49 years, dedicating his career to serving his clients with integrity and loyalty. He often represented the same families for generations, standing beside them through both life's celebrations and its challenges. The loyalty he gave his clients was returned many times over. As he began to reduce his hours later in life, many refused to take their legal work elsewhere, choosing instead to wait for the attorney they trusted most.

To Walt, clients were never just clients. Through the years, many became cherished friends. His genuine ability to connect with people from every walk of life, treating each person with kindness, respect, and compassion, was a rare gift. It is one of the many reasons he was so deeply admired and why his legacy will continue to live on in the countless lives he touched.

Outside of his work, Walt had a love for sports. He was an avid golfer for most of his life and always enjoyed hitting the links with family or friends. Coaching youth sports was something he truly enjoyed as well. He was always helping coach flag football, basketball and baseball teams Chase played on while growing up. Later in life he attended nearly every football game, home or away, his grandsons Colton, Keegan, and Landon played in high school. Saturdays in the fall were spent watching the Hawkeyes and Sundays were for the Detroit Lions.

Walt will truly be missed by many. His physical presence, his laugh, his jokes, his advice and opinions can never be replaced.

Our family would also like to sincerely thank the first responders of the Solon and Ely Volunteer Fire Departments and the caring staff of St. Luke's Hospital.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family, who will honor Walt's legacy by distributing them to local charities and community organizations.