Community Saddened by the Passing of Former Scarsdale Mayor Bob Steves

Bob and Kathy Steves at the 2017 Scarsdale Bowl Awards DinnerA treasured member of the Scarsdale community and a volunteer extraordinaire has passed away. On Sunday July 30, 2023 former Scarsdale Mayor Bob Steves died at the age of 77 at his home in Harwich MA. The cause of his death was glioblastoma which he battled for about a year and a half. Beside him were his wife of 51 years Kathy, daughter Karen and son Michael. His son Matthew predeceased him in 2017.

Surprised and saddened, friends in Scarsdale remembered him as selfless, kind, willing and generous and remarked on the outsized impact this unassuming man had on the community.

During his years in Scarsdale, Steves held many key volunteer positions and with his wife Kathy was awarded the Scarsdale Bowl in 2017. Though it is unusual to find someone who served on both the School Board and the Village Board, Bob did both for two terms on each board. When there was an unexpected vacancy on the school board after Bob’s six-year term, he even agreed to stay on for a seventh year. Not only did he serve, but he led the Village’s top boards as President of the Scarsdale School Board and as Mayor of Scarsdale from 2013-14.

Among his long list of additional civic activities, Bob Co-Chaired the Student Transfer Education Plan (STEP), served as a member of the School Board Nominating Committee, on the board of Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service and Chair of the Scarsdale Bowl Committee. Outside of Scarsdale, Bob was a Board member and President of the New York Epilepsy Institute. Bob was universally respected as a leader and selfless volunteer in the community. As Co-Chair of the Public Library Capital Campaign Committee he helped to raise funds to build Scarsdale’s new library.

He did it all while holding a demanding job and was always humble. When he learned that he was to be awarded the Scarsdale Bowl in 2017, Bob said, "I was almost speechless—very hard for me –when the Committee showed up at the house. To say I was deeply moved would be an understatement. Volunteerism is the heart and soul of Scarsdale and it has been its own reward. I'm especially pleased to share this honor with my wife. I've looked to past Bowl recipients as role models and look forward to serving that same role.”Bob was elected to be the 52nd Mayor of Scarsdale in March 2013

In addition to serving Scarsdale himself, he partnered with his wife Kathy to run community events for the Greenacres Neighborhood Association, hosted a visiting student for STEP and ran a massive sale of used books at the Scarsdale Library every August. The work was both time consuming and physically demanding but they never complained or said “no.”

As a couple, the Steves supported each other's work in a low-key, behind the scenes way. For example, when Kathy ran the book fair at the Scarsdale Library, Bob was there working as a cashier or hauling books. When Bob was running a STEP event, Kathy set it up. Their partnership was dedicated to the best interest of the community. Accepting the Bowl Award they said, “We are truly delighted and honored to be this year's Bowl recipients. We share a strong belief that service is an essential part of being a member of a community. We have benefitted greatly from working with so many great people who also share that belief."

How did the two get hooked on volunteering? Kathy explained it was all due to a peanut hunt. Shortly after they moved to Greenacres with their young family, they were asked to help organize the annual July Fourth celebration. They began by scattering peanuts on the field and three decades later ended up running the town.

At the 2017 Bowl dinner, daughter Karen Steves shared some memories of what it was like to grow up in a home of uber volunteers. She noted her parents' amazing work ethic and her mother's high standards and drive for perfection. She called Kathy an "optimistic tough cookie who sees problems and tries to fix them," and laughed about her Dad's ability to find common ground with anyone, anywhere. Together she said her parents have "championed countless endeavors," and showed their children what it meant to be part of a community. Though they have accomplished so much she said they are "humble" and "don't take themselves too seriously."

Also at the Bowl dinner, neighbor and long-time friend Deena Rosenthal remembered this about Bob: She said, “Early last September a friend of mine invited me to a dinner which a friend of hers, who uses a wheelchair, would attend. The problem: how to get the wheelchair up a single step into her home, Challenged to think of a solution, I came up with a MacGyvered plan for a ramp, but I had the sense to run it by Bob first. He listened to me attentively, but with what I later realized was a bemused expression. "I don't think your plan is going to work, In fact, it may turn out to be somewhat unsafe. Let me think about this tonight." The next morning, outside my back door was a proper wheelchair ramp. When I saw Bob later that day (it was, after all a Book Sale day), I said to him, "You had a ramp in your basement?" "No," he laughed, "but I had the lumber and I built it for you. It is safe, sturdy, and will do the job." Who else do you know who has the supplies , the skill and the heart to build a ramp for the friend of a friend of a friend?”

Scarsdale Mayor, Jon Mark, credited Bob with "laser focus on budget line items and valuable guidance to other Board members," and his "ability and willingness to listen." He remembered building a deck at the teen center by hand with Bob and current Scarsdale Mayor Dan Hochvert and said, "It was also a great lesson for me to see a community leader of Bob's stature work as a member of a team." He continued, "Bob's community service sets a high, virtually impossible bar to exceed. As has been noted, he is the only resident to have served as both Mayor and President of the School Board – though not at the same time... He has done so with grace, fairness and always with a desire to do best for the Village."

Accepting the Bowl award, Steves noted the "selfish side" to volunteering, calling it an "unequaled opportunity to grow as a person," and to meet and learn from wonderful people. He said, "Being a volunteer gives you a better understanding, more meaningful insight into those with whom you serve... an insight that allows for mutual growth."

He urged everyone in the room to reach out and invite others to help, saying "Don't be afraid to ask someone to help, they just might be waiting for a chance to serve."

Steves had a long career in public finance including positions at the NYS Comptroller’s Office, NYS Housing Finance Agency and at the City University of New York where he was the University Treasurer. He was the Assistant Treasurer of Fordham University from 2004 to 2018. Upon retiring, the Steves moved to Harwich, MA where he and Kathy worked on restoring the 1850 house they had bought in 2015. Both he and his wife Kathy were extraordinarily capable around the house and undertook many major projects themselves.

Commenting on his passing, Terri Simon, who served on the School Board with Steves said, “What a sad loss this is for all of us. Bob was a completely lovely person, outstanding for his years of dedication to the community, his intelligence, integrity, decency, good humor and humility. Since we first met in 1989, with kids in the same first-grade class at Greenacres, through many overlapping volunteer activities (including six years of late night Board of Education meetings and, after his service as Mayor, collaboration on the Campaign Committee for the new library), my admiration and affection only grew for this special and exemplary guy.”

Dara Gruenberg, who currently serves on the Village Board said, “Bob and I worked together as co-chairs with Betty Pforzheimer on the Scarsdale Library’s Capital Campaign to reimagine our library. With dedication and humility, Bob was a shining light, devoting countless time to uplifting our community throughout his decades of service. His unwavering willingness to contribute was a testament to his resolute spirit. Above all, Bob was a man of profound integrity and an embodiment of generosity. In a quiet, unassuming way, he impacted lives, leaving an indelible mark on our community. His gentle spirit and his impressive legacy will continue to resonate with all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Andrew Sereysky, who worked with Bob for many years, had this to say: “Bob was quite simply a wonderful, caring and thoughtful human being who dedicated himself to making Scarsdale a better place to live for all residents. My introduction to Bob was in 1994, the first year we moved to Scarsdale. Commuting together on the Hartsdale platform he thought, as a new Greenacres resident, I should join the Greenacres Neighborhood Association which I did. Little did I realize that his suggestion was the beginning of my civic volunteering and service to Scarsdale which continues today, 29 years later!”

Michelle Lichtenberg served with Bob on the Scarsdale Bowl Committee and remembered him this way: “Bob was such a kind, gentle, thoughtful soul, as well as smart and pragmatic. He did so much for Scarsdale. He was much loved and has a wonderful legacy, from Greenacres Association, STEP, Board of Education President to Mayor of Scarsdale. When we moved to Greenacres in 1991, Bob was our older son Andrew’s Cub Scout Den leader and helped make the transition from the City much smoother. Whatever Bob did, he did it with compassion and a twinkle in his eye.”

A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 am on August 11th at Holy Trinity Church Harwich. There will be a private interment on Friday August 18 at 1:00 pm at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 am on August 19th at IHM in Scarsdale with a reception to follow.