I was looking up an old tennis video on YouTube today,  happened to see Steve in the umpire chair--and I got to wondering why I hadn't seen him at the Sarasota open the past couple years. I Googled his name and here we are. 🙁

I was the announcer and he was always willing to help me with tricky pronunciations or slide me information about players to make me look smarter. 

Such a likable guy. So sorry he's gone.

Ray Collins 
Sarasota, FL

Steve,

I was so sad to learn about your passing today. I called you and found out today that you had passed. We lost touch for many years but reconnected in 2017. We went to highschool together and I was glad we had lots of phone conversations the December we both turned 60. I was hoping to visit you in Miami in the next month and feel so sad today. 

You were kind and sweet. May your memory be a blessing and may you rest in peace. 
Love,
Marcia 

Hi Steve, 
It's incredible that it's been two years already.  I miss your annual pilgrimages to LA as well as your dry sense of humor.  We went back a long way.  From the trip to Montreal in 1971 to our travels to LA in the 80s to our many epic tennis matches.  I think the funniest memory I have of you was of your vicious "guard dog" Yorkie.  I was never able to confidently turn my back on her.  It was funny seeing this tiny dog in a house filled with very tall people.

You added a lot to this world.  You continue to be missed both on and off the tennis court.

You are forever a part of my family's history.

Your friend,  Howard

Hard to believe it been two years.  I visited the grave in February, 2022 and still no permanent gravestone.  

May his memory be a blessing.

Irwin Ansher

Steve was one of my first and closest friends when I moved to NJ at the age of 12.  I share the same thoughts and comments that both John and Mark mentioned below.  We all grew up together and shared many of the same experiences with Steve.  Steve had the best sense of humor and was a great friend.  He may be gone now but he will continue to live in my memories forever.  I will miss you, my good friend! - Marlon

I met Steve through my son ,Mark,and we  became friendly tennis foes. Whenever Steve came to Philadelphia we would play after work and then have dinner. This went on for several years until Steve changed jobs. Even though I seldom won the matches were epic and the friendship rewarding. Iwill always cherish these memories.

So many memories of seeing Steve at USOpen and WTT in Boston area. Him pushing my now 25yo daughter Lara around in her baby carriage. Going on double date to Rocky Horror picture show  in 1988 in NYC. 
    Steve helped me with references to get new jobs several as l times as we worked together for SSA MidAtlantic consulting company in 1986. 
   My apologies if my dates are somewhat  off - I am in shock of this loss as we saw him at 2019 US Open and I have great pics if you want me to send to you. 
    Much love and respect
   Mark and Lara (and Lara’s mother Ruth)

I worked with Steve in Buffalo and we remained friends.  I would travel to Miami and we would attend the Miami Bills football games. When he came to Buffalo for tennis we would meet up for a meal. Always a great man. So sorry to hear of his passing. My prayers are with him and his family. 

I am very sorry to hear about Steve.  He was always a great friend and will be missed.  I am sorry for your loss.

Steven was a valued member of Temple EmanuEl for a number of years, and he will be missed.  May his family be comforted among the Mourners of Zion.  Joy Spill, Temple Emanuel Board member

I was friends with Steve since 1967 when he first moved to NJ. I think about our  inside jokes from then until now all the time.  Now it is priceless comedic relief.    

Steve was a great friend for 51 years.  We lived and grew through so much life as friends.  I will miss Steve's humor, his intelligence, his wit, his candor, and above all his sincere caring for people and his love of life.  I will miss him greatly.  

My friend, Things went down we don't understand but I think in time we will.   

Your friend, 

John

We deeply grieve the sudden passing of our beloved cousin.  He was a devoted son, brother, uncle and a thoughtful, caring man to us, his Canadian cousins.  We loved him and will miss him dearly.

Ronnie, Sylvia, Rhonda and Michael Yarin

I knew Steve almost from the beginning of his career. Steve took his many jobs...line umpire, chair umpire, chief, referee, supervisor...seriously. He was on time, knew his job and was professional.  He worked not only in the US but in other countries and was respected not only by the officials but also by the players.  He had many friends in the umpiring community. He will be missed.

Like all of professional tennis officials, Steve chose to live life to it's fullest and devoted a major part of it to a game he loved.  He would have done anything to work a day in officiating, whether on a line, in a chair, outside a court, behind a desk or in a booth. It didn't matter.  

Being versatile made Steve valuable.  Bright and ambitious, he never shied away from a challenge.  If the call came in that the ITF needed a referee for a Davis Cup in Mexico, he was your guy.  If Canada posted that they needed a chair umpire for 3 weeks of challengers, he was your guy.  If the USTA pro circuit needed a supervisor for 8 weeks, he was definitely your guy.  Not only was he "your guy", he was accomplished, and qualified and professional and he was the guy you could always count on no matter the court, tournament or stadium he was working in.

Thank you Steve for devoting your life to officiating.  The game was better because you were in it and so were all of us.

Game.Set.Match. Well done. 

 Ps.  Do you mind sending the officials all the answers to the open book questions now that you are in the "know"!  

RIP


All the years I have known and worked with Steve, never heard anyone make a negative comment about him.  He was a true gentleman, soft spoken,  excellent official, and always tried to learn and improve. He constantly asked for feedback and never stopped learning. Most players were surprised how well he spoke Spanish and he has a lot of friends in Mexico and Latin America where he left his mark traveling and officiating at various events. 
Steve left us way too early and he will be missed among his officiating family in US and around the world. 
May he Rest In Peace.


Steve was a valued member of the USTA Pro Circuit Supervisor Team.  A long-time, respected official, he was one of the few top officials to work across the disciplines of referee, chief umpire and chair umpire, all at an elite level.

Steve was our friend and colleague.  He will be missed by all of us.  

I have been a tennis official for 17 years and worked with Steve for most of those years. Steve always gave me a chance to learn and  become better as a line umpire and a chair umpire. If he was a Crew Chief, he would allow me to call Serve. If there was an opportunity to do a Chair, he would assign me as a Chair umpire. He was patient and offered good advice. He was a gentle giant and quiet in nature. I enjoyed working for him and with him. God bless you, Steve and may you rest in peace. 

Steve and I met in 1975 at the University of Maryland.  We were in the same dorm.  Over the years we maintained a close relationship, and he became very close to my family, including my children Liza and Daniel.
Steve had a great sense of humor and loved his responsibilities in the tennis world.

We would always make sure we hung out with Steve when we were in Florida or NYC, or he was in Washington DC.   He became more religious when his mother died, and became to understand how HaShem impacted his everyday life.   May his memory be a blessing.

Irwin Ansher


Steve and me met in 1975 at the University of Maryland.  We were in the same dorm.  We kept in touch over the years and he became a very close friend to my family, including my children Liza and Daniel.  

We would always make sure we hung out with Steve when we were in Florida or when he 
was in Washington DC.     He had a great sense of humor and really enjoyed his responsibilities  in the tennis world.

He became more religious after his mother died.  He was very close to his mother,  and her death had an impact on his view of HaShem and  he or she’s role in his every day life.

We will miss him and hope that he Rests in Peace.

Irwin  Ansher

I am very saddened and shocked to hear of the news of Steve’s passing.
Steve and I knew each other for over 20 years and we met at the Miami, then ‘Lipton’  tournament and we shared many a laugh together and an occasional evening outing. Steve was a quiet, purposeful man, excellent and extremely knowledgable at his job and a very understated human being. I greatly admired his tenacity and humility in all that he did, and so much that he achieved in his officiating career.
As he always used to say to me when we met, in his best English accent, “Bloody hell mate” 
I will miss you Steve.  
Rest easy mate. GGBrit xox 

Was sorry to hear of Steve’s passing.  He came to our Pro Circuit event in Decatur,  IL many times over our 20+ years.  We enjoyed many dinners at restaurants and nights at the Decatur Celebration after our tournament obligations were done for the day.  He was a very kind person and knowledgeable about his profession.  May God shine perpetual light upon him. 

Chuck Kuhle
Decatur, IL

OBITUARY

Steven Lee Reitman

Passed away on 27 APRIL, 2020

Riverside Gordon Memorial Chapels

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