Altruistic, loving, kind and friendly.
Well-liked by so many, Steve Gill was the epitome of companionship and fatherhood. Ever the helpful soul, he frequently came to the rescue and formed amiable bonds with all types of people. Athletic and outdoorsy, Steve never shied away from a football game, ski slope, wrestling match, pool, or track. He also enjoyed activities with his three sons, Devin, Michael, and Gabriel. His former wife Claudia, friends Chris, Jose, and Vanda formed his closest social circle, and he selflessly supported and lifted others despite his struggles. Ever the conversationalist, Steve always had a joke or story to share.
Steve excelled in sports, earning himself a place in the Junior Olympics in track and as a junior ski instructor in his adolescence. His time at New Hampton School highlighted his intelligence, and as a quick learner with a strong work ethic, he picked up welding and earned a certification in it. Keeping his family at the forefront, he often attended his sons’ sporting events and loved movie nights with them. Travel and cooking were other hobbies that gave him joy. Steve maintained a gregarious outlook; laughing, joking, and visiting others as often as possible.
Holiday celebrations are especially treasured memories for his mother, Nancy. According to her, “He particularly liked Christmas and being with family on Christmas. One year, we went to a candlelight service at a local church and this was very special.” For Steve, vacations were also treasured times to spend with loved ones. The great man with big, loving hugs on standby shared all the love he had, even when substance use disorder ran his life. The depth and breadth of despair felt in Steve’s absence is hard to describe. Nancy sums up this impact by saying, “I think of him daily and cry often. My one wish is that I will be with him once again. My life is not the same since he passed and it never will be.”
Steve struggled with substance use disorder for nearly three decades. Recovery efforts resulted in him finding faith and reconnecting with his children, but his final years were laden with lost potential. Fear overtook his family, though they never gave up on him. Three weeks before Christmas, 2022, Steve left home to help a friend who was trying to withdraw from heroin. While there, laced cocaine extinguished Steve’s light. Just days before his favorite holiday, he was gone.
Steve’s mother ordered Christmas gifts, eagerly awaiting giving them to her only child. Instead, she ended up opening those packages, and at his wake, she dressed Steve in the clothes she’d ordered for him. She mourns at what he’ll miss out on, including his sons’ graduations and the typical life events parents look forward to. Instead of being present himself, his legacy now endures through his children and others whose lives he touched with kindness and kinship.
Stephen’s mother, Nancy Gill, provided the information for this narrative.February 25, 1977-December 4, 2022-Age 45
Portrait Artist: Jeremy Hebbel
Narrative Writer: Jill Denton
