Stephen J. Silk

Stephen “Steve” Silk, age 88 took his final voyage peacefully with his family by his side. Steve was deeply religious and ready to meet the Lord. Jokingly he would say, ‘while he believed in Heaven, he was in no hurry to get there and meet his maker but hoped the good Lord had taken a liking to him’.

Steve’s 63-year romance with his wife Cathy started at the wedding of her brother, Mike. Cathy was a bridesmaid and Steve the best man.  It wasn’t long before Steve proposed, and they married in 1960. They honeymooned in Bermuda and soon after started their family.  Steve grew up on New York’s lower east side and moved to Packanack Lake in 1970.  He remained an avid skier and golfer throughout his life.  In his early years in NYC, he was an exceptional billiard player and bowler and on rare occasions would show off his skills to his grandson.  Steve was a member of Packanack Golf Club for 28 years.  During that time, he served on the golf club board of directors and as president on several occasions.  He has also been a member of the American Legion Post 450 for over 40 years.

Steve served in the Navy aboard the USS Perry from 1955 to 1957.   He especially loved the Navy because the Navy provided an extended family of brothers he never had while growing up. In 1998 he created his ship’s website that launched a wonderful cruise down memory lane.  Within weeks, shipmates found the website and friendships were rekindled. The heart-warming stories of so many of these shipmates truly made founding the Perry Association a truly worthwhile endeavor. Unlikely as it may seem, it even brought together shipmates who served aboard an earlier Perry namesake ship that saw action during the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941.  Although Steve is no longer at the Ships Helm, the Perry Association remains active and is planning its 21st reunion.

Steve’s IT career started in 1960. During his employment with a national NYC based firm.  He was selected to attend IBM’s training school and help the company’s conversion effort to computer-based systems. In 1965, Steve resigned from the firm and with Cathy’s blessing, formed a Computer System’s company that provided services to firms planning to automate or needing supplemental support. 

His work career was a never-ending curve of continuing technology changes and his ability to incorporate these changes across many different industries. Some of his projects included services to the Construction, Publishing and Medical industries as well as the Stock Exchange and several Universities. Steve had a unique ability to quickly understand business problems and provide a solution.  He always considered work fun and described it as a challenging game.  Steve retired in 1996.  Had his personal heart-breaking challenging responsibilities not intervened, Steve would have remained active in his business.

Steve is best described as someone who is always there for anyone in need. His philosophy has always been, ‘happiness is not the absence of problems but our ability to deal with them’. Steve retained a lifetime of friendships with men he bonded with at work, schoolmates, and shipmates with whom he served until these friends were also called to the Lord.

Of all Steve's life's accomplishments, he was most proud of his family. Steve is survived by his loving wife; Catherine, his two daughters Helene Lindstrom & Darlene Donegan (and her husband Joseph), his amazing grandchildren Lane, Lindsay Franco (and her husband Christopher), and Joseph "Joey" Donegan, and great-grandson Carmine.  Steve was predeceased by his son Christopher, granddaughter Brittany, baby brother Joseph and his parents Helen and Stephen.

 In lieu of flowers, those planning on an expression of sympathy are asked to consider donations to

Valley Hospice

15 Essex Road, Suite 301

Paramus, New Jersey 07652

(201) 291-6300

St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center

575 Woodland Avenue

Madison, New Jersey 07940

Some personal websites providing additional insight about Steve:

www.chrissilk.org  www.brittanyjoy.org

www.downhillracers.net  www.mhrschool.org

www.ussperry.us