Steven Craig “Steve” Mooney, a decorated West Virginia Army National Guard veteran and longtime advocate for veterans across the state, died on September 27, 2026, at the age of 54.
Mooney, an Ashland, Kentucky, resident and Huntington, West Virginia, native, died at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center one day after celebrating his 54th birthday. Morris Funeral Home confirmed his passing and detailed a life that included 23 years of military service, deployments to Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq, and continued public service through the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance.
At the time of his death, Mooney was serving as Director of Operations for the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance, where his work focused on helping veterans and their families access benefits and services.
Steven Craig Mooney’s Obituary Confirms His Passing
Morris Funeral Home confirmed that Steven Craig Mooney died on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
He was 54 years old.
Mooney had been born just one day earlier in the calendar, on September 26, 1972, in Huntington, West Virginia, to Roger Lynn Mooney and Alice Jean Manis Mooney.
His death has brought mourning to his wife, daughter, parents, siblings, extended family, military colleagues, fellow veterans and the many people who came to know him through his work on behalf of West Virginia’s veteran community.
Steve Mooney’s Cause of Death Has Not Been Publicly Disclosed
Although Mooney died at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center, his official obituary does not state a specific medical cause of death.
It also does not identify an illness or medical condition responsible for his passing.
The family thanked physicians and staff members at the Pittsburgh VA for the extraordinary care provided to Steve and the kindness shown to his relatives during his final days.
However, receiving treatment at a VA medical center does not establish what illness or condition he was experiencing.
His cause of death should therefore remain private unless the family later chooses to provide additional information.
Born in Huntington, West Virginia
Steve was born on September 26, 1972, in Huntington.
His roots in West Virginia remained important throughout his life even after he established his home in Ashland, Kentucky.
His career, military service and later advocacy work were all deeply connected to West Virginia.
That connection eventually placed him in a leadership role helping veterans throughout the state.
Steve Mooney Joined the West Virginia Army National Guard in 1991
Mooney began his military career with the West Virginia Army National Guard in 1991.
West Virginia public broadcasting reported in 2022 that the Huntington native had spent 23 years in military service and completed assignments or operations in Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Those deployments placed him among a generation of American service members whose careers crossed several major periods of overseas military operations.
His experiences would later shape his continued work supporting veterans after retirement.
Retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 3
Mooney ultimately retired at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3, commonly abbreviated CW3.
His obituary states that he served as a supervisor at Field Maintenance Shop No. 7 for the West Virginia Army National Guard.
He was also associated with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
The 23 years he spent in uniform represented a substantial portion of his adult life.
Even after leaving military service, however, his career remained focused on veterans.
Military Service Took Him to Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq
Steve’s military assignments included operations in:
- Egypt.
- Afghanistan.
- Iraq.
His obituary specifically documents service connected with all three locations.
That overseas service exposed him to the responsibilities and challenges faced by deployed military personnel and later gave him personal insight into the needs of veterans returning home.
Steve Mooney Received Numerous Military Decorations
Mooney’s military career included several significant awards and qualifications.
His obituary lists honors including:
- Combat Action Badge.
- Senior Parachutist Badge.
- Meritorious Service Medal.
- Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters.
- Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
- Iraq Campaign Medal.
These decorations reflect both operational service and sustained military achievement across his 23-year career.
Combat Action Badge Reflected His Operational Service
Among the decorations listed in Steve’s obituary was the Combat Action Badge.
The award is associated with soldiers who personally engage or are engaged by an enemy under qualifying combat circumstances.
Rather than treating the decoration merely as another line in an obituary, it offers insight into the seriousness of the environments in which Steve served.
His military experience was not limited to administrative or stateside work.
It included overseas operational service during periods of conflict.
Senior Parachutist Badge Was Another Distinguished Qualification
Steve also held the Senior Parachutist Badge.
His association with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) further reflects an important airborne component to his military career.
The qualification requires extensive airborne experience and reflects training beyond basic military service.
It became another visible marker of the professional standards he reached during his National Guard career.
A Career Serving West Virginia Veterans
After military service, Mooney continued serving the veteran community through the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance.
The department’s official leadership information identifies Steve Mooney as Director of Operations.
A West Virginia state government directory also listed him in an operations leadership position within the department.
His work allowed him to turn his own experience as a veteran into practical assistance for others navigating benefits, claims and government services.
Steve Oversaw Veterans Benefits Operations
A 2022 West Virginia Public Broadcasting report provides additional insight into the scale of his responsibilities.
At the time, Mooney was overseeing 14 benefits and claims offices and a staff of 34, including regional supervisors, veterans service officers and assistants.
Those offices played an important role in helping West Virginia veterans connect with federal benefits and other forms of assistance.
The same report noted that West Virginia veterans had received more than $2.5 billion in assistance during the preceding year.
Steve’s leadership therefore placed him at the center of a system serving thousands of former service members and their families.
Featured Speaker at Welch Veterans Day Parade
Mooney’s reputation within West Virginia’s veteran community was also reflected in his selection as the featured speaker for Welch’s 104th annual Veterans Day parade in 2022.
The event is one of West Virginia’s longest-running Veterans Day traditions.
Contemporary reporting specifically highlighted Steve’s military background and his position with the Department of Veterans Assistance when announcing him as the parade’s featured speaker.
The role gave him an opportunity to represent not only his own military experience but also veterans throughout the state.
Veterans Advocacy Became a Continuation of Military Service
For Steve, serving veterans appears to have been a natural extension of his years in uniform.
Military retirement did not remove him from the community.
Instead, his career shifted toward making sure others who served could access the programs and benefits available to them.
That work can be difficult and highly technical, involving federal claims, state programs, medical services and family support.
Steve’s leadership experience made him an important part of that system.
Steve Mooney Was a Husband and Father
Away from military and professional responsibilities, Steve’s family occupied an especially important place in his life.
He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Allison Patterson Mooney.
He is also survived by his daughter, Olivia Noel “Gert” Mooney, whose name appears prominently in his official obituary.
Those personal relationships represented a side of Steve’s life far removed from ranks, medals and job titles.
To Allison and Olivia, his loss is first and foremost the loss of a husband and father.
Family Members Mourning Steve Mooney
Steve’s obituary lists a large extended family.
In addition to his wife Allison and daughter Olivia, survivors include his sister, Robin Lynn Combs and her husband Joseph, and his brother, William Michael Mooney and his wife Xan.
His nieces and nephews include Allison Combs McCloud, Alexa Mooney, Alex Combs and Drake Mooney.
His mother-in-law, Sharon Patterson, is also among his survivors, along with several great-nieces and what the family described as an extraordinary network of friends.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Forest and Nancy Mooney and Arthur and Betty Manis, as well as his father-in-law, Phil Patterson.
An Extraordinary Network of Friends
One phrase in Steve’s obituary stands out beyond the formal family listing.
His survivors include what the obituary describes as an “unbelievable network of friends.”
That wording suggests a life marked by relationships across military service, veterans advocacy, family connections and community involvement.
For someone whose career repeatedly placed him in service-oriented organizations, those friendships may become one of the most enduring parts of his legacy.
Visitation Scheduled for October 4
Family and friends will gather for Steve’s visitation on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The visitation is scheduled from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Morris Funeral Home in Wayne, West Virginia.
The funeral home is located at 79 Bridge Street in Wayne.
The gathering will provide relatives, veterans, colleagues and friends with an opportunity to pay their respects before the funeral service.
Funeral Service Scheduled for October 5
Steve’s funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday, October 5, 2026, at Morris Funeral Home Chapel.
Rev. Roger L. Mooney will officiate.
Following the service, Steve will be taken to his final resting place at a cemetery dedicated to military veterans.
Burial at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery
Steve will be buried at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Dunbar, West Virginia.
The cemetery is operated as part of West Virginia’s commitment to honoring eligible veterans and their families.
For a man who spent 23 years in military service and later dedicated his professional life to assisting veterans, burial at a state veterans cemetery provides a fitting connection between his final resting place and the service that defined so much of his life.
Family Requests Donations to Friends of the Fisher House
Instead of flowers, the Mooney family has requested memorial contributions to Friends of the Fisher House in Pittsburgh.
The organization supports families of veterans receiving medical treatment by helping provide nearby accommodation and related assistance.
Steve’s obituary specifically identifies the organization as the preferred destination for memorial donations.
The request carries particular meaning because Steve received his final care at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
Family Thanks Pittsburgh VA Staff
Steve’s relatives expressed appreciation to doctors and staff members at the Pittsburgh VA.
His obituary thanks them for the care they gave him and for the compassion shown to his family during his final days.
The tribute does not reveal the medical circumstances that led to his hospitalization.
Instead, it focuses on the quality of care and kindness the family experienced.
Remembered for Service in and Out of Uniform
Some veterans complete their military careers and move into entirely unrelated fields.
Steve’s path was different.
His work after retirement remained centered on military families and former service members.
From National Guard maintenance operations and Special Forces-associated service to managing veterans-assistance offices, his professional life maintained a consistent theme.
He served people who had served.
Steve Mooney’s Legacy in West Virginia
Steve’s public legacy can be seen in two overlapping careers.
The first was military.
Over 23 years, he rose to Chief Warrant Officer 3, served overseas, earned combat and airborne qualifications and supervised National Guard operations.
The second was veterans advocacy.
Through the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance, he helped manage a statewide system designed to connect former service members with benefits and resources.
Together, those careers created a life strongly associated with public service.
What Has Been Confirmed
The following details have been publicly confirmed:
- Steven Craig “Steve” Mooney died on September 27, 2026.
- He was 54 years old.
- He had celebrated his 54th birthday on September 26.
- He was born in Huntington, West Virginia.
- He lived in Ashland, Kentucky.
- He died at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
- His parents are Roger Lynn Mooney and Alice Jean Manis Mooney.
- He served 23 years in the West Virginia Army National Guard.
- He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 3.
- He supervised Field Maintenance Shop No. 7.
- He was associated with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
- His military service included operations in Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq.
- His decorations included the Combat Action Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge and Meritorious Service Medal.
- He served as Director of Operations for the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance.
- He is survived by his wife Allison and daughter Olivia.
- Visitation is scheduled for October 4.
- His funeral will take place October 5.
- He will be buried at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery.
- His family has requested memorial contributions to Friends of the Fisher House.
What Has Not Been Publicly Announced
At the time of publication, Steve’s family and official obituary had not publicly disclosed:
- His specific medical cause of death.
- The illness or medical condition for which he was being treated.
- How long he had been receiving care at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
- Detailed medical information concerning his final days.
Those matters should not be inferred from his place of death.
West Virginia Veterans Community Mourns Steve Mooney
Steven Craig Mooney’s life was defined by service across several different roles.
He served his country as a soldier.
He served the West Virginia Army National Guard as a warrant officer and supervisor.
He served fellow veterans through a state agency dedicated to ensuring they could access benefits and assistance.
And away from those public responsibilities, he was a husband, father, brother, uncle and friend.
Steve died only one day after his 54th birthday, bringing an unexpectedly early end to a life that had already included more than two decades in uniform and years of continued work on behalf of other veterans.
As his family prepares to gather in Wayne and later lay him to rest at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery, the military decorations he earned will form only one part of his legacy.
The veterans he helped, colleagues who served beside him, friends who knew him personally and the family members who loved him will carry forward a broader memory — that of a man whose adult life remained closely tied to service.
Disclaimer
This report is based primarily on the official obituary published by Morris Funeral Home, The Herald-Dispatch, official West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance information and established West Virginia reporting concerning Steve Mooney’s military and veterans-service career. Morris Funeral Home confirms that Steven Craig Mooney died on September 27, 2026, at age 54 at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
His obituary does not disclose a specific cause of death or identify the medical condition for which he was receiving treatment. This article therefore does not speculate about those private medical circumstances.