Stephen Arion Monti

1939 - 2025

Stephen Arion Monti, devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother died on October 30, 2025 after a brief illness. Steve was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1939 to Lylah Nelson Monti and Arion Galdino Monti.
Raised in San Rafael, California with his younger brother Rodney he grew up exploring Marin County. His mother introduced him to stamp collecting and he pursued that hobby throughout his life organizing an extraordinary collection. As a high school student Steve coached little league, was captain of his swim team and played basketball.
As an undergraduate at U.C. Berkeley, Steve studied Chemistry and was a member of the gymnastics team recalling that their tumbling routines were performed on hardwood floors. He continued to study Chemistry at MIT and Harvard and joined the Chemistry Department at UT in 1967. Steve and many of his colleagues played a pick-up basketball game twice a week, an event he rarely missed.
Steve was asked to act as Assistant to the President by UT President Lorene Rogers and he continued working with each successive University President's administration until his retirement in 2010. He received the Jean Holloway Award for Teaching Excellence in 1972 for his class in Organic Chemistry.
Steve and Susan Mynarcik married in 1981 connecting over their love of birdwatching and their shared interests including construction, gardening, camping and trips to Port Aransas. They had two children, Mark Charles and Rebecca Anne. Mark and his wife Holly have three children, Jack, Kai and Jett. Rebecca and her husband Chris Faggioni have two children, Olivia and Ben. Steve's grandchildren were a wellspring of joy and he treasured that they made Austin their home.
At their house in the hills of Austin, building with excavated rock became a favorite weekend pastime- throw the kids and bikes in the truck and load up for an adventure in collecting ledge rock in the neighborhood. There was never enough good rock to work with and always another retaining wall or step to build.
Steve was a devoted father who supported his children in all their endeavors, encouraging them to pursue their dreams. He was positive, loving, happy, hardworking and a fabulous packer - in a league of his own when it came to packing the 4-Runner for the annual Colorado camping trip. He valued learning, hard work and time outdoors with family and friends. Whether teaching students, building stone walls or playing with his grandkids, he showed up fully and generously. Deeply loved, Steve's warmth, good nature and steady presence will be remembered and missed always.