Steven Gothelf

1947 - 2023

Steven Gothelf
October 3, 1947 - September 1, 2023
Steven M. Gothelf of San Francisco passed away peacefully on September 1, 2023 surrounded by loved ones. He fought a courageous battle against lymphoma for over three years.
He is survived by his spouse, Donna Gothelf; son, Adam Gothelf and daughter-in-law Christina Darrah; dearest granddaughter, Reese; sister, Vicki Kahn and brother-in-law, Scott Kahn; niece, Nicole Berkin and spouse, Otis Berkin; all reside in San Francisco. He is survived by many loved extended family members in the Bay area, Massachusetts and New York.
Steve was born in NY, NY in 1947 and lived in Queens, NY and Long Island through his teenage years. He obtained a Business degree from Univ. of Toledo in 1969 and a Master's in Public Administration from Baruch College. After college, he worked for a drug rehabilitation program in Manhattan. He moved to the Boston area after marrying Donna and worked for several years with the then-newly-minted Office for Children. He was determined to keep on improving his skills for helping others and in 1976 he and Donna moved to San Francisco so that Steve could complete his Master's in Social Policy at the Univ. of California Berkeley.
He called San Francisco home ever since arriving in 1976. He loved San Francisco and quickly became fascinated by its real estate. In 1980 he changed career direction and began his journey into residential brokerage. Real estate was his passion until his death. He was with Pacific Union Real Estate for many decades and, more recently, with Sotheby's International Realty in San Francisco. Steve was deeply respected by his colleagues and clients.
Steve's success in real estate was a byproduct of his determination to help others. Not one to ever advertise his image, Steve grew his business by embracing the challenge of helping people with their real estate needs and he was able to do this with his reassuring, calm compassionate manner. He listened and he cared.
Since Steve's passing, the outpouring of love and well wishes to Steve's family from the San Francisco real estate community, his clients, and friends has been profound and reflects a life well lived.
Steve believed that in life, one should try to "do well and, at the same time, do good."
He supported many community service programs and charities. He was on the board of Huckleberry Youth Programs for eight years. Steve founded the "Community Fund" at Pacific Union; a program where agents donate a portion of their proceeds to a joint fund which is then distributed to deserving community programs.
His personal interests included enjoying lots of great food - slowly; tasting wonderful red(!) wine; running, completing a marathon with Team Leukemia; traveling to many great places; listening to music (often loud in his car); and, of course, being with his family and dear friends.
Steve did not want a memorial service and asked that those close to him simply enjoy a dinner out with their favorite people, raise a glass, and have a taste of something delicious in his memory. Steve always ate slowly so savor a meal for him.
To continue doing some good in his memory, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift to one of the following:
- in honor of Steve Gothelf to Dr. Babis Andreadis's research program at the University of California San Francisco to further efforts to advance the treatments of lymphoma. To make a memorial gift, visit makeagift.ucsf.edu or send a donation payable to "UCSF Foundation" to UCSF Foundation, PO Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145, and please include Steve's name on the gift in an accompanying note or memo so that funds with go directly to Dr. Andreadis's research.
Or
-in honor of Steve Gothelf to Huckleberry Youth Programs www.huckleberryyouth.org
Or
to the charity of your choice.