Steven R. Littlefield

DOVER, New Hampshire – Steve Littlefield, born to Grace and Al Littlefield on November 19, 1947, in Lynn, Massachusetts, the third of four children, passed peacefully in his sleep the morning of November 30, 2024, at Birch Health Care Center. He was 77 years old.

Steve spent part of the day before his death visiting with his sister Sandy, brother-in-law Paul, nephews Mick, Kenny, and Collin, where he regaled them with a few of his famous jokes. That is how we choose to remember him, with a smile. Steve battled esophageal cancer.

Steve’s parents moved a lot when he was a child, but lived in Dover for seven years, where he attended Woodman Park School and Dover High School. He joined the Coast Guard for a short period, and then moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where his parents had relocated to in 1967. He returned to Dover in 1995, living there ever since.

Steve loved music and was an accomplished guitar player. He could hear a song, figure out the chords and play the complete song in a couple of hours. Known around Dover as the Left-Handed Guitar Teacher, Steve taught many people, kids and adults, to play left-handed guitar. He had a system where he first taught his students to read music before he ever taught them their first chord. When they left his studies, they knew how to play guitar and play it well! He would also go to a music studio in Maine, where he played studio guitar on many recordings.

Steve was also known by many of the businesses and people in downtown Dover. He would ride his bicycle through town, talking with those he met, doing odd jobs for the store owners, and going every morning to the Breakaway Café for his regular coffee, cream and two sugars.

Steve was friendly, made many friends, always had a smile and a happy greeting for everyone, and if you sat with him long enough, he would share a joke or two. He could sit all evening, telling jokes and never tell the same one twice.

Steve was quite intelligent and had a memory unequaled, remembering minute details of a day years ago. He loved to research the subjects that interested him and could answer any question you asked about those subjects.

Steve was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young man, but he lived the life he wanted, the best he could, with a smile. Steve never married nor had kids, but loved his sisters and his many nieces and nephews, and was loved dearly in return.

Steve was preceded in death by his mom, Grace E. (Chapman) Littlefield, and his dad, Allen W. Littlefield. He is survived by his sister, Sandra L. (Littlefield) Hitchings (Paul) of Milton; his brother, Allen W. Littlefield, Jr. of Dallas, Georgia; and his sister, Pamela J. (Littlefield) Brown (Gary) of Quinton, Virginia. He is also survived by five nephews, two nieces, and many great- and great-great nieces and nephews, and by the many friends he made.

Assisting the family with arrangements is the Cremation Society of NH, Hampton. Steve's ashes were received by his sister, Pam, in Virginia where his ashes can be spread with his family. If you would like to remember Steve, and we hope you do, please go by Breakaway Café, buy yourself a cup of coffee, and tell the barista it is in Steve’s memory. Steve would've smiled and chuckled at you doing so, and be happy that you remember him. To view Steve's Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.csnh.com.