Steven R. Garver

Steven R. Garver of Skaneateles, NY died on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 at age 80 following a brief battle with colon cancer. His wife of 58 years, Shirley (Yonkin) of Skaneateles, predeceased him by four months and they leave behind three beloved sons: Michael (Kimberlee) of Canastota, NY; Alan (Megan) of Hopewell Junction, NY; and Drew (Kristi) of Concord, NC. He especially enjoyed his nine grandchildren: Grace (Gabriel Miller), Katherine (Clement Russell), Robert, Lily, Gavin, Jaxson, Eli, Liam and Bowen. He also leaves a sister Holly Daye (John Miller) of Naples, FL. and a nephew Jay Rodriguez (Paige) of Apex, NC., as well as many in-laws and cousins. He was predeceased by a sister Cynthia of Raleigh, NC. Born at Ephrata, PA Sept. 29, 1945, he was the son of Robert Garver, an accountant and locksmith, and Alice Sowers, a teacher. His great grandfather, from an Amish family, was a Civil War cavalryman and later a physician. Steve was an Eagle Scout, member of Order of the Arrow, Philmont explorer, and had a lifelong passion for camping, canoeing and the outdoors. He shared this passion with his grandchildren, children, and other family and friends who built small cities of tents and enjoyed many evenings around campfires in the Adirondacks. He especially enjoyed wilderness camping expeditions, which they called “Man-Child trips.” On these they exposed their kids to careful risk-taking greater than their mothers would approve during family camping. His other passions included historic preservation and family history research. He loved getting lost for hours searching through archival records and coming out with “gems” to build out hidden branches on various family trees. He particularly sought to uncover clues to personalities and lifestyles to illuminate the ancestors and relatives he researched. He helped to develop seminal articles on eighteenth-century Gerber immigrants to Pennsylvania and their families as well as their y-DNA profiles. He honored his Pennsylvania Dutch heritage and Anabaptist ancestry. He was a longtime member and contributor to the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society (now Mennonite Life) and the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley. In 2015 he helped restore a neglected cemetery on the 1744 homestead of his immigrant Gerber ancestor. Steve graduated with BS and MS degrees from Penn State and was a licensed Professional Engineer in several states, where he helped many industries remove environmental contamination. With O’Brien & Gere and Arcadis Engineers he specialized in the treatment of land, water and river sediments for many Fortune 500 industries at some well-known sites, such as Cape Canaveral in FL and the Hudson River in NY. He authored 30 professional publications and hundreds of research and design reports for industrial clients and government agencies. For many years he was a member of the professional organizations: Water Environment Federation, American Water Works Association, American Chemical Society, American Society of Civil Engineers, and American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Steve was most notable for his calm, level-headed kindness, and warm, ever-present smile. He loved all things technical and dad jokes. He faithfully cared for his wife as she battled pulmonary fibrosis. He was a loving father, kind man, and helpful companion and friend. He will be missed by all who knew him. Arrangements and cremation handled by B.L. Bush & Sons Funeral Home of Camillus, NY. Please share memories and sign his guestbook at www.BLBUSH.com

Steven R. Garver

September 29, 1945 - January 3, 2026