Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Stephen Ernest Eitel
Born on the 19th May, 1919, Steve was the third child of his family. His home at Richmond was built by his father on a five-acre almond orchard. After schooling at Richmond, he began work as a messenger boy at the Taxation Department before learning the trade of a roofing tiler with Wunderlicks. In those days all the battens and the tiles were carried up by hand on a ladder in all types of weather. His trainer was Irish Tom Ryan whose lunch consisted of a bone and onion for lunch. It was probably okay because they were outdoors! Steve was proud of his tiling work, often commenting on houses he had worked on, the weather conditions during construction or the owners.
One Easter Friday in 1938, he donkeyed his younger brother, Bert, out to Parafield Airport and while there had a pleasure flight in a Dragon Rapead aircraft. Despite hail, wind and rain on the return journey their euphoria was not dampened.
Aged 21 Steve enlisted in the Australian Infantry Forces on 12th August, 1940, training at Woodside in South Australia, before being sent to Egypt with the Second 48th battalion. Three years later he was fleetingly home then headed to Queensland for jungle warfare training in preparation for serving in New Guinea where he suffered with Malaria and leg ulcers. At the conclusion of the war he was discharged on the 13th April 1945, briefly returning to roof tiling before becoming a storeman at McPhersons, then as a storeman with the PMG department (now Telstra) providing equipment and telephones for Technicians to install. He remained there until ill health forced him to retire.
Steve’s faith was always important. As a young lad he was baptised in the Richmond Baptist Church, then in 1950 he and three other members of the family all were baptised into the Seventh Day Adventist Church. At this time, apart from a drink or two, he was smoking 70 cigarettes a day. He gave these up immediately.
On 16 April 1952 he married Norma Poole, and for housing he purchased the shell of a 28ft caravan, which, with the help of his brother (Bert) fitted it out in to three rooms. Steve and Norma lived in this at Richmond until about 1958 when they bought a 5-acre block of land at Reynella where the family lived in a shack-like garage until their house was built. They established a poultry farm while Steve continued to work in Adelaide. After a visit to his sister at her poultry farm at Williamstown, they heard unusual noises coming from under the bonnet of their Austin A40. On checking they found two oil-covered chicken stowaways. The chickens looked decidedly shaky and unsteady as they emerged from the engine bay. Steve was also given a cat, Ginger, from a work colleague but was embarrassed to discover it belonged to a neighbour but it had been annoying the colleague.
Steve and Norma also took pride in their school cleaning contracts at Reynella and Sherrifs Road Primary Schools. Sons John and Peter helped, learning the value of hard work and doing a job well. Norma always assisted Steve about the house including papering their bathroom. She tried to tell him of a problem with the damp wall paper, but he kept telling her not to complain. Eventually, she explained about the electric shocks from the wet paper on the open light switch.
Settled at Reynella, Steve and Norma were instrumental in establishing a Seventh Day Adventist church in the southern area, hosting the first planning meeting in their home which then culminated with the first service in the Southern Area being held in the Morphett Vale Institute on 4 July 1964.
In retirement, Steve and Norma travelled around Australia by caravan with Steve finding occasional work in market gardens as well as unsuccessfully looking for gold and precious stones with an early model metal detector, finding instead old bits and pieces around disused farm houses and old camp sites. Steve’s other passions were his garden or assisting shoppers at the local Foodland Supermarket where he was possibly one of the first trolley ‘boys’ helping shoppers with their load while quietly telling of his love for God. In this regard, he assisted with a number of evangelistic programs, storing and setting up equipment, operating and manning display booths at Marion Shopping Centre. During this time, a young lady without transport joined the program. Steve encouraged son John to provide the transport, adding a glowing description of her as encouragement. The ulterior motive may have been that John, aged 24 didn’t have a girl friend at the time and was still at home. Inevitably, that young lady (Marisa) later became John’s wife and an outstanding daughter in law to Steve, particularly in his later years.
Steve cared for Norma for a number of years towards the end of her life until she passed away at the age of 68 with the ravages of Alzheimer’s taking its toll on her in January 1995. He was Poppa to Jason and Travis, Peter’s boys and great grandfather to their children, Travis’ children, Jaidya and Brodie and Jason’s son Xavier and daughters Amelia and Laura.
Always honest and a person of impeccable integrity, Steve gave of his best, whatever he did. His sense of humour and ability to look for and find the best in others was his secret to his longevity. He was passionate about his relationship with God and encouraged others with their faith.
This tribute was created by the late Lambert Eitel and John, Steve’s son.