Lifetime Achievement AWARD Steve McKeown Festa 2006 – April 1, 2026
HerrinFesta Italiana presents their 2026 Lifetime Achievement award to Pastor Steven Michael McKeown. In 1970, at age 14, he moved to Herrin, Illinois, days before beginning his freshman year at Herrin High School. A neighbor invited him to play drums for a new youth choir at First Christian Church. He says those two watershed moments changed his life.
First, Steve came to faith in Jesus Christ, transforming his life from one marked by meaninglessness, mischief, and petty crime to one defined by peace, purpose, and love. Second, he met the person who led him to that faith—his future wife, Darla Craft. They celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in August.
He graduated from Herrin High School and SIU. He first worked at WSIL-TV3 in Harrisburg and later served as assistant to the president of Tri-State Christian Television in Marion. In his 30’s he was involved in strategic planning for the organization, directing more than 100 paid and volunteer staff members and helping manage a multi million-dollar budget.
In 1989, Steve made the decision to leave the demanding pace of corporate leadership, which had often left his wife—who had her own career—functioning as a single parent. In l989 he became Youth Pastor and Administrator at Christian Life Church in Herrin. After nine years in that role, he was asked to serve as Senior Pastor.
During the next 17 years, Christian Life Church grew in size and outreach. CLC organized disaster-response teams to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina and flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, among others. Youth teams served in inner cities of Chicago, New Orleans, Greensboro, North Carolina, and among the Lakota Sioux of South Dakota and the Navajo Nation of New Mexico. International mission work extended to Central America, Africa, and Asia. Throughout this time, the church remained deeply involved in serving the citizens of Herrin. Steve also served as President of the Herrin Ministerial Alliance during his tenure.
In 2008, he was appointed by court order to serve as President of the Bald Knob Cross of Peace and guide a transitional board through a contentious legal dispute. Under his leadership, the organization established sound fiscal and operational policies, raised funds, and restored the beloved 111-foot monument, which had fallen into disrepair. For his efforts, Steve was named Citizen of the Year at the 2010 Herrin Chamber of Commerce annual dinner.
In 2014, Steve partnered with his friend and colleague, Rev. Dr. Troy Benitone, to launch the Herrin House of Hope. This year the ministry will approach half a million meals served—always offered with dignity to those in need. Through partnerships with John A. Logan College and AmeriCorps, hundreds of individuals have earned their GEDs and secured employment. Thousands of clothing items have been distributed to families and disaster victims, hundreds of bicycles have been given to children in Herrin, and tons of food commodities have been shared with those in need and with other local pantries.
For many years Steve spent a month or more annually in Africa, frequently accompanied by Darla. They installed shallow wells with Marion Medical Mission in Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique. Steve also helped oversee the construction of educational and medical facilities in Liberia, which later served communities during the Ebola crisis. He and Darla volunteered in an orphanage in Kampala, Uganda.
Steve retired after 26 years of pastoral ministry in 2014, leaving numerous vibrant ministries fully staffed and the church debt free.
Darla describes him as a profound “retirement fail,” since his schedule is now more demanding than during his decades of employment. He remains active in overseas missions, community volunteerism, and mentoring others. Retirement has allowed Steve and Darla to travel abroad, one of their shared passions.
Scouting has been a lifelong part of Steve’s story, a tradition that began with his grandfather, who served as his father’s scout leader in 1932. The couple’s two sons both achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, and their daughter, a former Girl Scout, still enjoys rock climbing and camping with her family. He has served as an adult leader at several high-adventure scout bases, including the Boundary Waters near Canada, Sea Base in the Florida Keys, and Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
An avid hunter and outdoors man, a member of the Egyptian Rifle and Pistol Club, an alumnus of the Delta Regional Authority Leadership Institute, and currently serves as President of the Bald Knob Cross of Peace. He continues to enjoy his love for drumming by serving on the CLC worship team marking 47 years of performance.
Steve and Darla’s three children—Drew, Dana, and Troy—their spouses, and their nine grandchildren now form the center of the universe around which their lives happily orbit.
The couple will be honored at the annual HerrinFesta Mayor’s Dinner May 19 at the Herrin Civic Center.
