I was on Steve's fencing team during his time as at the University of Texas at Arlington. Not only was he a great epeeist, he was a great coach. Fencing was a completely new competitive sport at the school and, within a matter of a few years, Steve built a program that completed at both the NCAA and USFA National Championship level. He was a blessing in my life as I am sure he was in the lives of his family and other friends. Rest in Peace, Steve.

The memories sure do make me smile + cry at the same time. Teaching Steve to cook lobster tails and then enjoying the meal. That was one of my first one on one and I will miss those times. Thoughts + prayers to all

Steven family is our closest neighbor, living just next door to us.  Steven was the first gentleman who greeted us on an early summer day of 2016 when we moved to Thornhill Farms.  We leaned against the long old rusty wood fence, chatting like two old friends as if we had known each other forever.  You told me everything you knew about the neighborhood, our other neighbors’ names, what they did ……A day later, I opened my mailbox and found an invite to join our neighborhood community on Nextdoor.  I assumed that you did it because you were the only one I had met with at that time.  One day, my wife Li was locked out of our house, desperately, she ran to you and Cindy for help.  I knocked on your door afterward to say thanks.   You invited us into your home, and showed us a project you were doing: redo your living room floor.  As soon as you started to describe how you went about doing the floor, and the way you dealt with the unevenness of the floor and measured it within a few millimeters, as a handy person myself, I knew instantly that I was standing in front of not only a very tall handy man, but also a great genius, contrasting with your plain manner and gentle smiles.  So when I later learned that you made as an alternate to the US Olimpic Fencing Team, I was proud of you but not surprised, as if I had known it all along: that was how great Steven was and what he was capable of doing it, naturally.  I had always wanted to know more about and learn more from you.  I wished I had more time to do that, as I watched you fighting bravely and gracefully against illness, imagining that you must have done it with the same determination and grace as you did in fencing.  On a sunny day in May, seeing you sitting in front of the house, barefooted without a shirt, I walked up to you to give you a gift we brought for you from a recent China trip, a can of Chinese tea.  You told me that barefooted touching the earth and shirtless exposing to the natural elements was one of your ways to cure.  I said to myself: I was coming back to learn more next time when you got better.  Seeing a beautiful brand new RV parking on your driveway last month, Li and I said, let’s go see Steven’s new RV.  We waited and waited, rarely seeing you out of the house.  Recently, I knocked on your door to give you the cucumbers we grew in our backyard.  Cindy opened door.  “come on in” Cindy said.  Seeing you in a distance sitting on a sofa, feeling not well, reluctantly I said to Cindy: “next time.”  But what I would never imagine at that time was that there was no “next time” until I said good-bye to you for the last time at your funeral.  Steven, you were a great person and wonderful neighbor.  Great memory of you will be with us forever.  We miss you.

Neighbor Brian Tian and wife Li Jiang

Truly beautiful video. Carl & I have always enjoyed our time with Uncle Steve, in Florida, in Ohio, and other stops along life's journey. He will be missed. Big hugs from Maine to the entire family! Love Beth & Carl Hebert

Loved watching him play with his grandchildren at the reunion last year. Very happy memories. I am thinking of Cindy all the time. Lots of love from Joyce & Richard in Maine

My family has been lucky to have Steve as part of our extended family for many years. Sharing our family celebrations at a cookout or spending time with him at our yearly fall campout! He always had something interesting or exciting to say. Steve you will be missed by the Haley clan.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Steven E. Vandenberg

13 novembre 1955 – 13 septembre 2018

Schoedinger Midtown

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