Steven graduated in 1976 from Childersburg High School, where he proudly played in the high school band. He later attended Auburn University, carrying forward the steady curiosity and quiet determination that marked his path through life.
Over the years, Steven worked for Avondale Mills and later for Serra Honda. No matter the job or season, he was known for showing up with a good heart and an open hand as someone whose kindness wasn’t performed, but lived, day after day, in the simplest and most meaningful ways.
Outside of work, Steven found joy in the outdoors and in making things with care. He loved hunting and fishing, and he enjoyed woodworking, a patient work that suited him. He also enjoyed cooking out with neighbors and friends, turning ordinary afternoons into moments of warmth and belonging.
Steven’s legacy is stitched into the lives of people who were met with his generosity when they needed it most. He would help out anyone he could, and many remember the practical ways he made life lighter for others by offering a place to live, sharing food from his garden, or giving a ride to appointments. In these quiet acts, he built a life that was deeply felt and widely cherished.
Steven is survived by his sisters, Patricia Waites Davenport and Debbie Waites Denty; brother-in-law, Dallas Davenport; nieces, Angela Brown and Rhonda Vanzant; nephews, Matthew Hill (Ashley) and Dallas Davenport, II (Natalie); and other grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Oliver Waites; his mother, Jessie Milam Waites; his sister, Linda Waites Brown; and brothers-in-law, Jimmy L. Brown and Frank Denty.
A Memorial Gathering will be held at Radney-Smith Funeral Home, 320 North Elm Avenue, Sylacauga, AL 35150, on September 19, 2026, beginning at 2:00 pm.
The family extends a special thank you to Theron Bearden for taking Steve to UAB for appointments.
He was loved and will be missed. Those offering expressions of sympathy, the family will accept flowers or ask that you make a donation to the local charity of your choice in Steven's name.
