Steven Craig “Steve” Mooney, a longtime advocate for veterans in West Virginia and a retired Chief Warrant Officer with more than two decades of military service, died on September 27, 2026, at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
He was 54.
Steve served as Director of Operations for the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance and previously completed 23 years of military service with the West Virginia Army National Guard, including assignments connected to the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
His death has brought grief to his wife, daughter, extended family, fellow veterans, colleagues and a wide network of friends who knew him through military service and veterans advocacy.
Steven Craig Mooney’s Obituary Confirms His Passing
Morris Funeral Home confirmed that Steven Craig Mooney, of Ashland, Kentucky, died on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
He was born on September 26, 1972, in Huntington, West Virginia, to Roger Lynn Mooney and Alice Jean Manis Mooney.
Steve died one day after his 54th birthday.
His obituary was also published by The Herald-Dispatch on October 1, further confirming his death and the funeral arrangements announced by his family.
Steve Mooney’s Cause of Death Has Not Been Publicly Disclosed
The funeral-home obituary confirms that Steve died at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center, but it does not identify a specific illness or medical cause of death.
His family thanked the doctors and staff at the Pittsburgh VA for the care they provided Steve and for the kindness shown to his relatives during his final days.
That statement confirms that he was receiving medical care before his death, but it does not establish the condition being treated or the medical cause of his passing.
Until Steve’s family or another authorized source releases additional information, his cause of death should therefore be considered private and not publicly disclosed.
A Career Dedicated to West Virginia Veterans
Steve’s professional life reflected a long commitment to military personnel and veterans.
At the time of his death, he was serving as Director of Operations for the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance.
The department works with veterans and their families by helping connect them with benefits, services and other forms of assistance.
Steve’s role allowed him to continue supporting the military community even after completing his own active National Guard career.
For people who worked alongside him, his contribution extended beyond military service itself into the ongoing work of helping other veterans navigate life after service.
Steve Mooney Served 23 Years in the Military
Steve retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 3, or CW3, after 23 years of military service.
He also served as a supervisor at Field Maintenance Shop No. 7 for the West Virginia Army National Guard and was associated with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
His military career included operations in Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Those assignments placed him among service members who spent significant portions of their careers supporting missions both at home and overseas.
A Decorated Military Career
Steve received numerous decorations and qualifications during his military service.
His obituary lists honors including the Combat Action Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Meritorious Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters.
He also received campaign medals connected to his service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
These awards document a career that included both operational deployments and sustained military responsibility.
They also reflect the depth of experience Steve later brought to his work on behalf of West Virginia veterans.
Family Members Mourning Steve Mooney
Steve leaves behind a close family who now face the loss of a husband, father, brother and uncle.
His obituary names his wife of 16 years, Allison Patterson Mooney, and his daughter, Olivia Noel “Gert” Mooney.
He is also survived by his sister, Robin Lynn Combs, and her husband Joseph; his brother, William Michael Mooney, and his wife Xan; nieces Allison Combs McCloud and Alexa Mooney; nephews Alex Combs and Drake Mooney; his mother-in-law, Sharon Patterson; three great-nieces; and what the obituary describes as an extensive 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.
Remembered Beyond His Military Rank
Although Steve’s career included military rank, deployments and numerous awards, his obituary also points to the relationships that defined his personal life.
For his family, he was not simply a decorated veteran or government official.
He was a husband of 16 years, a father who clearly cherished his daughter and a relative surrounded by siblings, nieces, nephews and extended family.
The obituary’s reference to his wide circle of friends also reflects the personal connections he developed over decades of public service and military life.
For many veterans and colleagues, those relationships may form an equally important part of his legacy.
Funeral and Burial Arrangements Announced
Steve’s visitation is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Morris Funeral Home in Wayne, West Virginia.
His funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, October 5, at the Morris Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Roger L. Mooney officiating.
Burial will follow at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Dunbar, West Virginia.
The military cemetery is an appropriate final resting place for someone whose adult life was deeply connected to military service and veterans affairs.
Family Requests Support for Fisher House
Rather than flowers, Steve’s family has asked that memorial contributions be made to Friends of the Fisher House in Pittsburgh.
His obituary specifically names the organization as the preferred destination for memorial donations.
Fisher House programs provide lodging and support to families of veterans receiving medical treatment, making the request closely connected to Steve’s life of service and his final period of care.
The family also publicly thanked staff members at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center for the treatment Steve received and for the compassion shown to his loved ones.
A Legacy of Military Service and Veterans Advocacy
Steve Mooney’s life connected several different forms of public service.
He spent 23 years in uniform, completed overseas deployments, rose to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3 and later served in a leadership role supporting veterans across West Virginia.
That combination meant his connection to the veteran community continued long after his military career ended.
For colleagues and veterans who encountered him professionally, his work represented another chapter of the same commitment to service that had defined his military career.
Respecting the Family’s Privacy
Although Steve’s obituary provides extensive information about his life, career and military accomplishments, his family did not publicly disclose a specific cause of death.
That decision should be respected.
The fact that Steve died at a VA medical facility does not by itself establish what illness or medical condition he experienced.
Medical details should therefore not be inferred from the location of his death or from his military history.
Any future information regarding his health should come directly from the family or another authorized source.
What Has Been Confirmed
The following details have been publicly confirmed:
- Steven Craig “Steve” Mooney was 54 years old.
- He was born on September 26, 1972, in Huntington, West Virginia.
- He died on September 27, 2026.
- He died at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
- He lived in Ashland, Kentucky.
- Steve was Director of Operations for the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance.
- He was a retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the West Virginia Army National Guard.
- He completed 23 years of military service.
- His service included operations in Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq.
- He served with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
- He received multiple military awards, including the Combat Action Badge and Meritorious Service Medal.
- He is survived by his wife, daughter and several extended family members.
- His visitation is scheduled for October 4, 2026.
- His funeral is scheduled for October 5, 2026.
- He will be buried at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery.
What Has Not Been Publicly Announced
At the time of publication, the following details had not been publicly disclosed:
- Steve Mooney’s specific medical cause of death.
- The illness or condition for which he was receiving treatment at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center.
- How long he had been receiving treatment before his death.
- Additional private medical information concerning his final days.
Those details should not be assumed unless Steve’s family or another authorized source later chooses to release them.
West Virginia Veterans Community Remembers a Life of Service
Steven Craig Mooney’s career reflected more than two decades of military commitment followed by continued service to veterans.
From deployments overseas to leadership within the West Virginia Army National Guard and later the Department of Veterans Assistance, much of his adult life centered on supporting the military community.
For his family, however, his legacy also exists in the quieter roles he held away from public service: husband, father, brother, uncle and friend.
As loved ones prepare for his funeral and burial at a state veterans cemetery, Steve will be remembered not only for the uniform he wore and the awards he earned, but also for the relationships he built and the veterans he spent his career helping.
Disclaimer
This report is based primarily on the obituary released by Morris Funeral Home and published memorial information from The Herald-Dispatch. Those sources confirm Steven Craig Mooney’s death on September 27, 2026, at age 54, along with his military record, veterans-service career and funeral arrangements. No specific medical cause of death was publicly stated in the obituary. This article does not speculate about Steve’s health or the circumstances of his death beyond information released by his family and funeral provider.