Stephen Larry Strout

Stephen Larry Strout, 76, passed away due to lung complications on Wednesday, May 7, at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, NJ. He was surrounded by his family; his last moments were filled with stories, favorite memories, music, and love.

Son of Ethel (Harmon) and Ralph Strout, Steve was born on May 13, 1948, in Portland, ME. He graduated from Gorham High School in Gorham, ME, in 1966, spent two years attending college, and then entered the US Navy. Stationed mostly in the Mediterranean, he served proudly on the USS Shenandoah and the USS Massey during the Vietnam War.

During his naval service, he unexpectedly became pen pals with a fellow shipmate’s friend, the smart and beautiful Karen Ann Meeker, who would entertain him with long letters and clever drawings. On July 1, 1972, pen pals became newlyweds: Steve and Karen married at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church in Karen’s hometown of Newton, NJ. They were married for thirty-three years and raised two children together: Stephen Michael Strout (Southport, FL) and Heather Ann Strout (Branchville, NJ). Steve supported his family by working over thirty years for Ronetco Shop-Rite Supermarkets at various locations throughout northwest Jersey.

After Karen’s passing in 2005, Steve moved to Pocono Lakes, PA, and then to Whiting, NJ. During this stage of life, he enjoyed time and made lasting memories with his companion, Lucille Speziale, and their furry “kids”: Sassy, Sugar, Angel, Jingles, Lola, Skye, Tootsie, and Katie. Steve felt so proud and lucky to have earned the love and loyalty of two beloved ladies and so many special pets in his lifetime.

Steve enjoyed shoot-em-up westerns and gutsy sports cars; he also enjoyed the quiet beauty of the birds and deer that visited his backyard each day. He loved motorcycles, and he enjoyed fishing; he also cried the first time his father brought him hunting in the backwoods of Maine - and he accidentally shot a robin. He loved Clint Eastwood dramas and Charles Bronson car chases; he also loved playing “You Are My Sunshine” on his treasured Gibson guitar. He demonstrated the best array of sturdiness and gentleness, sensitivity and strength.

Steve Strout was not a man defined by his career or his social status. Rather, he was a down-to-earth, good-hearted, and easy-going presence who never had to be the loudest voice in the room, never cared to be known as “the tough guy,” and never had to have the last word. He possessed a sincere and unassuming quality that endeared him, not only to family and friends, but to diner waitresses, gas station attendants, strangers at the supermarket, and, most recently, his nurses and caregivers.

Steve is survived by his sister, Cathy; his companion, Lucille; his children, Stevie and Heather; his “bonus daughters,” Amy and Lisa; his beloved granddaughters, Larissa, Liahna, and Stefani; three “grandchildren of the heart,” Ollie, Madeline, and Rita Ann; and his cherished pets, chihuahuas Lola and Skye and cat Katie.

A viewing for Stephen will be held on Tuesday, May 13, from 11am-1pm at Smith McCracken Funeral Home, located at 63 High Street, Newton, NJ; a funeral service will follow, beginning at 1pm. Interment will take place at St. Joseph R.C. Mausoleum, following the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a memorial donation to Deborah Heart and Lung Center, a non-profit facility specializing in cardiac and pulmonary health (deborahfoundation.org). The Strout family offers sincere thanks to the Deborah staff for their compassionate and attentive care during this difficult time.

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