Although not a close friend of Steve I am a Brother.. We served together on the USS Gridley DLG 21 in the early 70’s. I was deeply saddened when another shipmate QM3 Maki passed the word. I hope he had a great life, as it would be well deserved.. Rest In Peace my friend.. My condolences to the family..

It's so sad that someone who was looking forward to a well deserved retirement so much will not be able to experience that stage in his life.

Na-Arrow escape My name is Sanford S.Peth back on the block just Sandy. I lived in Montour Falls NY. Four houses away from Steve. We had a house on the corner of Henry and Tracy streets. Sadly after 60 more years a house that was old then is no longer livable. There wasn’t much more than a half dozen kids in our age range in our end of our little town. Between 8 and 10 years old. Who your friend was on any given week could change in a day depending on what we were doing. If you went fishing you did not go with a half dozen kids. You went with who ever your best friend was that week. There were exceptions. A game of kick ball in the street, hide and seek or kick the can. All activities requiring a blanket truce. Often in the course of these events new alliances would be formed. Steve and I being only a year apart and he an only child often would find things to do. Steve’s dad was the mailman and did well for his family his mother kept a clean and orderly house. Good people. As I read Steve’s obituary it does not surprise me that it is that of a good man. Now a short story of a secret that Steve and I shared likely to this day. Although I have many memories this one always comes to mind. I’m sure Steve would forgive me as it has a touch of humor and suspense. There was a long field behind a small steel plant called Shepherd Niles now gone. It served as a pathway for ducks flying from the farms to the lake. One day Steve and I dreamed up a game that today would make one cringe. For some reason we did not see the obvious hazard. I would stand at one end of the field and he at the other. With bow and arrow at hand when the ducks would fly over we would each take a shot as they flew over. First off you might think we were in danger from each other but not the case. I miss my shot and the ducks fly over Steve. Truth is I don’t ever remember hit a single duck. Steve takes his shot and from my point of view it went straight up and was coming straight down. I have time to holler a warning and as Steve steps forward and from my point of view it looks like he was hit in the head as he falls to the ground. I take off running and my heart is going faster than my feet. To my relief I see Steve sit up struggling with and arrow that appears to have gone through his foot and pinned it to the ground. A brief sense of relief was replaced with fear of how do we explain his wounds. He is frantic as am I as he breaks the arrow. He pulls off the shoe and sock. To our disbelief the arrow had gone between his big toe and the next one over. Not even a scratch. Once we got done being historical we realized if our parents found out we would be in far more trouble than an arrow in the foot. We made a solum promise never to tell a soul. To this day I have kept my promise. I don’t know if Steve ever told anyone but who would believe anyway. Well I was there and I am telling it as truth and if there are powers that be it is clear that Steve had much more to offer and was spared that day. Life would take us on our separate ways I would go into the Army and to Vietnam. When I got home two years later Steve was in the Navy. I did not stay home or ever really return but to pass through every ten or fifteen years. Our paths would never cross again. Still I found it very sad to hear of his passing and I remember him fondly. For Steve to soon past.

I can still hear Steve calling me Uncle Dick. I have so many fond memories of our get togethers. I am so sorry that the last time he stopped to see me about some pictures he had, I was not home. The next thing I heard he was sick and in the hospital.Our hearts go out to his lovely wife Jane and their two daughters and families. Our thougths and prayers are with the whole family.

Dick and Anne Cleveland

Such a wonderful friend all these years I will forever miss you, Jan Brown

When Steve came home from the Navy he bought a new shinny black Harley Super Glide. Every night at the same time he would come ripping past our house and up Odessa Hill. I always looked forward to hearing it, "there goes Andrews" ! It was always

waxed and polished, just like everything he had and everything he was - perfect!

Steve, my brother Sandy, and myself all lived on Henry Street in Montour Falls. We walked to school together in grade school. There was always a back yard game of kick the can or kickball in the street...everybody yelling "car" and diving for the side. Fond memories. It's sad that he did not get to enjoy his recent retirement. Condolences to his wife and family from the Peth Family

Having known Steve all my life, this is a devastating thing to have happen. He had such a great sense of humor and played an important role in so many lives, he was just like a part of our family through all our years of growing up, and it didn't end there. We continued our bond through the years we worked together at Shepard Niles. After his career change to the NYSEG company it didn't stop the companionship the we all shared. He would stop by just to talk and laugh, which always made my day. We will miss him so much, I am heartbroken, along with so many. Jane and his girls will be in my prayers...