RIP Steve Delk - October 2023

The Pilot · Post by **The Pilot** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:30 am

I found this on another message board. 'Stephen C. Delk, 72 of Columbus, MS passed away Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at his residence.'

https://www.lowndesfuneralhome.net/obit ... 0residence

IJJTM · Post by **IJJTM** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 12:07 pm

Oh wow… I used to search obituaries every once in a while and I guess it’s been a hot minute since I have. I didn’t know he was in the military. RIP Steve…

Canyon · Post by **Canyon** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 2:10 pm

I just found out that Steve Delk passed last month and I regret not getting to meet him. However, I did have the pleasure of getting to speak to him on the phone on a couple of occasions. I distinctly remember telling him what hat size I was and him replying to me: "My God, I don't come across many women with a head as big as yours!"

He was a good man and I miss talking with him.

May he rest in peace.

WConly · Post by **WConly** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 2:32 pm

This is a shame! Proves once again that all we really are guaranteed is a time to live and a place to die! RIP, Steve! W>

Indiana Croft · Post by **Indiana Croft** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 4:16 pm

Rest in peace Steve, the world is down one good man in m y opinion.
And he has a place in the history books for helping to create the CS fedora.

Croft

Post by **Michaelson** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 5:04 pm

https://www.indygear.com/igABstory.html
Too many memories over too many decades to recount, going clear back to the original Indyfan days.

Goodbye old friend.

Highest regards! Michaelson

fifthchamber · Post by **fifthchamber** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 5:40 pm

Only spoke to him once...By phone...And several emails, but what always impressed me was just how decent a bloke he was...RIP Steve, and thank you for ALL of this.

zaynecarrick · Post by **zaynecarrick** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 5:50 pm

Steve was always great to talk to and getting that Indy 4 beaver was one of my highlights in my Indy fandom. RIP and my condolences to his family.

Canada Jones · Post by **Canada Jones** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 6:06 pm

I am wondering if Steve's membership could be restored here and all his posts in the forums restored. It would be a nice tribute to him. Not sure if it's even possible actually.

Charybdis · Post by **Charybdis** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 7:41 pm

I will cherish my Raiders hat that Steve made for me back some years ago. May he rest in peace.

Post by **Mike** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:02 pm

Will have to decide between my Raiders or CS, which to wear in his honor.

I'll forever be appreciative for my little part in helping him...which I actually didn't know I was doing since Lee didn't tell me he'd sent him my HJ!!

...and enjoying riding along with a few others as he took part in the CS production.

Rest well, buddy.

Lindiana · Post by **Lindiana** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:18 pm

Another good man lost to history. God speed.

eaglecrow · Post by **eaglecrow** » Mon Nov 20, 2023 5:18 am

I am not very active on COW anymore since a long time, however, I want to to write a few words regarding my experience with Steve.

I tried to reach him two days ago to send him a note of appreciation regarding the hat I had, made by him. I nearly had it for 2 decades and it severed me well in many ways all these years. I did not had too much to do with him, just exchanged a few emails with him, also at the time when CS happened. He surprised me at that time with a very heartwarming deed which came totally unexpected to me. As I had to promise not to make it public I can not share details of it, but I can say for sure that to me it proofed what a nice person he must have been. Sadly I was too late to reach out to him with my letter a bit earlier. I wish I had the chance to meet him in person.

And apart from his person, the hat he made for me (early batch) was absolutely undestroyable and great piece of craftsmanship. Hats off to him!

Post by **Dalexs** » Mon Nov 20, 2023 8:18 am

While I'm not a huge fan of memorials like this on public outlets, this one hits to close to home.

Like many here, Steve and I have had a friendship since the early days on Indyfan.
Although I've never had the chance to meet him, we spoke a number of times over the phone and via email over the years.
I always found him to gracious and helpful.

We had many conversations about hat making techniques, supply's, felt colors, ribbons, etc...
As a hands-on guy, it wasn't that hard for him to talked me into making my own hats, giving me helpful tips along the way.

As he was cabinet maker, our interests overlapped to my love of woodworking and we spoke almost as much about that as we did Indy stuff.

Steve was one of the originals here at Indygear, say what you will, but there is no doubt he will be missed.

RIP Steve

Indiana Jon · Post by **Indiana Jon** » Mon Nov 20, 2023 8:59 am

I'm still fairly new around these parts, but you don't have to research for very long to realize the indelible mark that Mr. Delk left on Indy fandom. My condolences to those who knew him. May he rest in peace.

Post by **Indiana Jeff** » Mon Nov 20, 2023 1:10 pm

Indeed, very sad to read.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Chiliana Jones · Post by **Chiliana Jones** » Mon Nov 20, 2023 1:13 pm

A true gentleman he was. He didn't just make his mark in the Indy community but in the hat making business as well. He's a hero and a legend in both departments.
Rest in peace, mr. Delk.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Mon Nov 20, 2023 2:20 pm

Takes a lot to get me to post here anymore, but...

I know a lot of folks will only have an understandable discontent on their minds - and I really understand them too - but, Steve was a person, a very interesting, kind and generous person. He was passionate about (among other things) the Raiders hat and his contribution to the way in which so many Indy hat makers work today can't be understated. His tireless experiments in blocking and reblocking seriously improved our understanding of that hat and subsequently influenced every Indy hat maker since. We wouldn't have the range of great hat options we now have (I remember how it used to be!) without Steve.
It would be a terrible shame for us to remember him only for the fact that his skills led him to be completely overwhelmed with orders - and he wasn't the kind of guy to say no to anyone, unfortunately - coupled with his failing health, the result was people being let down. I dare say, he felt ashamed and powerless. A sad end to what started out as such a promising enterprise!
I would like to remember Steve as he was before he became the hat maker for Indy IV - a lovely, interesting, down to earth, passionate and genuinely nice guy that loved this crazy hobby as we all do, and furthered it significantly through his efforts.
RIP Steve.

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Nov 20, 2023 5:32 pm

Hear hear!

Regards! M

ChrisMD · Post by **ChrisMD** » Tue Nov 21, 2023 3:02 pm

RIP to the legendary hatmaker

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Post by **Holt** » Tue Nov 21, 2023 4:34 pm

The Indy community just lost a legend! RIP Steve Delk

Hollowpond · Post by **Hollowpond** » Wed Nov 22, 2023 11:19 am

Never had the pleasure of talking to the guy. Owned a second hand early Adventurebilt that I should have held on to!

His impact on the gearhead community and impact on THE fedora (not to mention hat making in general) is undeniable.

Castor Dioscuri · Post by **Castor Dioscuri** » Sat Nov 25, 2023 4:27 am

Never had the privilege to meet the man, but in the few emails we exchanged, he was very generous with his time. The man truly became a legend not only in Fandom, but in the history of Indiana Jones.

May his spirit of adventure live on, forever immortalized on the silver screen, and carried forth everytime an Adventurebilt is ever worn.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Wed Nov 29, 2023 2:46 am

Like many here, I never met him, but once had a conversation on here where I mentioned having an odd dream where Steve was sitting at a store front inside some sort of futuristic mall of sorts and yes, he had hand crafted hats for sale. He told me that oddly enough, he had had a similar dream before. Well, if he likes, I hope someday soon he's up there helping people with his handmade goods in some heavenly setting, helping them by doing his best (which was pretty darn good I will add) like he always has. RIP.