Steven Bierman

Steven A. Bierman, age 70, of Stillman Valley, Illinois passed away Friday, September 22, 2023.

He was born April 12, 1953, in St. Charles, Illinois, the son of Kendall and Wilma (McCray) Bierman.

Steve was born in St. Charles, Illinois and was raised in Geneva, Illinois. He had a wonderful childhood with his big sister, Pam.  They spent their days designing and building elaborate forts from appliance boxes their dad would bring home for them.  Their complex forts made them quite popular with the neighborhood kids whom they would explore the block with, running, riding bikes and roller skating.  They would get worn out playing during the day and at bedtime Steve would climb over to Pam’s bed to hear a story or whatever she came up with to tell him that night.  Steve and Pam continued to have a close relationship throughout adulthood, sharing a love of traveling, cooking and most of all Shea and Bryce and Gwen and August. 

Steve met his lifelong partner, Kathleen Hewitt at Geneva High School.  At the time, Steve was working at a gourmet shop in town.  This remained his favorite job throughout his life and it sparked his love of gourmet foods.  From that point on, Steve couldn’t resist going into any and all specialty food shops:  co-ops, kitchen stores, meat markets, butcher shops, jerky shops and the local ice cream parlor and spending all of his money.  Also during high school Steve was a member of the infamous band, “Red Light District”.  Throughout his life Steve was always listening to music; the B52s, Steely Dan, Talking Heads, The Beatles, and Crosby, Stills and Nash were some of favorites.

Steve and Kathy married in 1972 and had two boys, Shea and Bryce.  Around 1989 Steve and Kathy built the family their dream home on Red Leaf Road near the woods and a creek outside of Hampshire, Illinois.  While Steve and Kathy worked on the house Shea and Bryce could be found in the woods nearby building forts and drinking creek water. 

Steve worked for Sycamore Glass Components making glass parts as plant manager for twenty plus years.  He enjoyed his work but he had so many interests and hobbies that filled his time.  He loved going on vacations with his family and exploring new places.  At home, he always had two or three projects going; he would be building a deck, putting together a mini bike and installing trim in the house, all at the same time.  Throughout the years he enjoyed gardening, cooking, collecting music, flying RC model planes, fishing, woodworking, salt water aquariums, scuba diving, collecting butter tubs, building model trains, labeling tupperware, photography, cars, and taking things apart.  Many of his hobbies were taken up by Shea and Bryce and are now also enjoyed by his grandchildren, Gwen and August.  His grandkids feel fortunate to have a grandpa who helped make them better cooks, avid fishermen and ingenious thinkers. 

Steve adored his grandchildren, Gwen and August.  He liked to have treats for them when they came over to visit.  Sometimes it was raw rhubarb from the yard dipped in sugar, other times it was Dots, Smarties, orange flavored Lifesavers or custard from the shop down the street.  For Christmas and birthdays he made them handmade wooden treasures.  He was so creative designing and building them xylophones, a bank, building blocks, wooden hammers and elaborate boxes to hold their tiny treasures.  Steve took great pride in being a grandpa to Gwen and August.  He lovingly called Gwen his “little Gwenny girl” and taught August everything he knows about working in a wood shop.  Steve’s sister Pam fondly remembers a family gathering when Shea gave Gwen a little piece of paper with a note written on it.  Shea told Gwen to choose a family member to deliver the note to and Gwen brought it to Grandpa.  Grandpa read the note announcing that Gwen would soon be having a baby brother.  Steve beamed knowing that Gwen chose to give him the special note and he would soon have a new grandbaby. 

Steve loved life and really lived it.  He was always enjoying himself cooking, woodworking, traveling and enjoying his many hobbies.  However, nothing compared to his boys.  Steve was enamored with Shea and Bryce.  Whatever they were interested in, Steve was interested in. The boys’ friends became his friends.  They were three peas in a pod; all three with a similar laugh, quick wit, love of food and always awaiting their next fishing trip.  The lakes of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada will forever miss the Bierman boys.  It will be a glorious day in Heaven when Steve, Shea and Bryce are reunited.

Steve cherished his family and his legacy will live on through them in their fishing trips, lovingly prepared meals and shared laughter.

He is survived by his son Shea (wife Lea) of Byron, Illinois; his grandchildren Gwen and August; his partner Kathleen Bierman of Byron, Illinois; and his sister Pamela Bierman of Geneva, Illinois.

Steven was preceded in death by his parents Kendall and Wilma Bierman and his beloved son Bryce Hewitt Bierman.

A visitation will be held Friday, September 29 from 4:30 pm until the time of the memorial service at 6:30 pm at the Malone Funeral Home, 324 E. State Street (Route 38), Geneva.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in the family’s name to Trout Unlimited.

For information 630-232-8233 or www.malonefh.com.

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