Steven Charles Loria

In Loving Memory of Steven C. Loria

March 22, 1963 - May 31, 2025

To know Steven was to love him.

With a steady presence, a generous heart, and a deep capacity for connection and a warrior-like spirit, Steven passed away peacefully on the afternoon of May 31, 2025, at his beloved home in the Hudson Highlands of Cold Spring, New York. He was surrounded by those he loved and cherished-and those who loved and cherished him.

Born on March 22, 1963 in Kew Gardens, Queens, Steven was a lifelong, very proud New Yorker through and through.

He was raised in Hicksville, Long Island, by his doting & devoted parents, Charles and Constance Loria-both gentle and very warm Italian-Americans who poured their love, goodness, and strong & virtuous values into Steven and his younger kid brother, Richard.

Steven and Richard grew up in a very close-knit neighborhood where their idyllic Crown Street childhood meant being outdoors, often from morning to dusk-riding bikes, swimming in backyard pools, trading jokes, doing 1970s commercial & movie parody skits, loving Farrah Fawcett Majors and her husband the six million dollar man, and learning early on what it meant to belong, fit in, and build community and genuinely enjoy the friendship and company of others.

The one constant thing that would interrupt all Steven and Richard's outdoor fun & adventure, was their mother Connie calling them in for their daily "milk." Now, to be clear, this wasn't just any milk-it was a blend of milk, raw eggs, and Nesquik. It may seem a bit odd by today's standards, but Connie wanted only the best for her boys...and after all, it was the 1970s, and Rocky (Stallone....yeah, that "Rocky") didn't even bother with the milk and Nesquik.

After graduating with honors from Hicksville High School, Steven earned his bachelor's degree from C.W. Post University and later received his Master's degree in Business from St. John's University in Queens-academic achievements that taught commitment, and helped lay the groundwork for a remarkable and enriched professional life.

His working journey began humbly, with early jobs at McDonald's and Sears, where he sold car batteries and tires on commission. These jobs taught him the value of hard work, patience, and resilience.

It was in 1986 that Steven found his true professional home at Citigroup/Citibank-first in Manhattan, and later at what was the Citigroup building in Long Island City, Queens.

From Long Island City, his office had expansive and sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline, which was something he was in awe of, totally loved and never grew tired of.

Over the course of four decades, Steven became not only a trusted manager but a gifted teacher and mentor. He had a knack for spotting potential in others and helping colleagues he managed, who often times had limited experience, grow into professionals who had the knowledge and skill set to keep growing, learning and succeeding.

His colleagues often say that what Steven taught them extended far beyond the workplace: how to lead with integrity, how to think clearly and critically, how to stay grounded, and how make every possible effort to never burn bridges-no matter how tempting or warranted.

One of the many gifts of Steven's career was the opportunity to travel, which he embraced with great enthusiasm. Whether for work or for leisure, Steven approached new places with curiosity and gratitude, quietly collecting experiences that reflected his openness to the world and his love of discovery.

In 1995, Steven met his soulmate, Russ-his partner, best friend, and constant companion. Their decades-long partnership was built on mutual respect, shared humor, a love for classic TV, and deep, deep affection. In 2013, after 18 years of togetherness, they married at Town Hall in Cold Spring, thanks to the hard fought for, and not at all easily won progress of those who stood with them and those who went before them, all of the decades of American men and women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community who collectively, bravely, valiantly and determinedly fought for marriage equality.

Steven and Russ shared a love of both home life and travel-especially to the ocean and the beach. Steven was an avid and masterful gardener and he found deep joy in nurturing the spaces around him. One of his greatest passions was getting his hands in the earth, working to make the property around their East Mountain home as beautiful, welcoming, and full of life and beauty as possible. It gave him comfort, solace, and a profound sense of pure joy.

Steven suffered from kidney disease, since early childhood, and one of the most pivotal life changing chapters in Steven's life came in 2002, when his kidneys finally failed him and he was forced to begin the nightmarish process of dialysis. It was during this very dark and uncertain period , when his brother Richard selflessly donated a kidney to him. We all often joked that Richard had given Steven the better of his two kidneys, which couldn't have possibly been a better match. Richard's priceless gift of love and loyalty gave Steven not just better health, but more precious time-further deepening an already beautiful and unshakable bond between brothers who couldn't have been more different and couldn't have been more alike, two brothers who couldn't have possibly loved and respected one another more than they did.

In recent years, Steven and Russ invested in vacation rental properties along Florida's Gulf Coast-they would spend long stretches at the beach during the winter chill of New York's very long winters. The two considered themselves to be fledgling "snowbirds" in training, blending business with their shared love of warm, sunlit days and salty breezes.

Steven is survived by his husband and life-partner of 30 years, Russell Cusick; his brother, Richard Loria, sister-in-law Sharon, and their children Dylan and Madison; his loving stepmother, Billie Loria; and his stepsister Liz Fiorino, her husband Vin Fiorino, and their children Charlotte and Liam.

He is also lovingly remembered and deeply missed by his cousins Patricia, her husband Bob Jurik, and their sons Christopher and Michael and their families; Jeffrey Martino, Greg Martino, and Michael Martino and their families-as well as by countless dear friends and colleagues who were fortunate to know him, and by those Steven felt deeply fortunate to know in return.

Steven was predeceased by his beloved parents, Charles and Constance Loria; his Aunt Marie and Uncle John, and cousin Thomas; his Uncle Ben and his Aunt Mary.

Steven was never loud, and never flashy-but he was powerful in the ways that matter most. He was kind, thoughtful, and deeply observant. He remembered your stories and loved sharing his with all who were interested enough to listen. He gave excellent advice. He listened with his full attention. He was the kind of person whose quiet strength and easy manner made a room feel more grounded, fun and certainly less uptight-and whose wit and warmth made it come alive. His humor was dry, quick, and never cruel or sarcastic-the kind that stayed with you long after the conversation ended. Steven was a man everyone felt comfortable and relaxed being around.

As we say goodbye, we take comfort and inspiration from one of Steven's favorite songs, Carly Simon's "Life Is Eternal"-a meditation on love, memory, and the unseen horizon that awaits us all:

Life is eternal

And love is immortal

And death is only a horizon...

And a horizon is nothing

Save the limit of our sight.

Steven's spirit-kind, steady, and deeply loved-now travels just beyond that limit. And we who remain are forever better for having walked beside him.

He lived with grace, generosity, humor, and heart. May his memory continue to shine bright, bringing comfort and joy to all who were lucky enough to call him family, colleague, or friend. And may we all strive to love as fully and as well as he did.