Steven Anthony DeSantis

DeSantis, Steven Anthony
ALBANY - Steven Anthony DeSantis, 65, took his own life on Monday, September 8, after a multi-year struggle with a debilitating neurological condition and depression.
Steven was born in Valley Stream, N.Y., on March 24, 1960. He was the youngest of four brothers, and grew up in a close and loving Italian-American family. Steve graduated from the SUNY School of Environmental Science and Forestry in 1982 with a degree in Environmental Science, and obtained a Masters in Environmental and Occupational Health from Hunter College in 1991. His passion for the environment and awe of the natural world were foundational to all aspects of his life, and he leaves behind an Earth that he loved so dearly.
After finishing college, Steve enlisted in the Peace Corps, serving in a remote village in the Philippines, where he worked on a sustainable agricultural project and, in his own words, on his karaoke abilities. After two years of service, he spent an additional year backpacking across Asia, visiting Tibet, China, India, and Thailand. This time sparked a lifelong love of travel and a desire to learn about communities and cultures different from his own.
He eventually returned to the New York area and struck up a conversation on the F Train with a woman who would become the love of his life and best friend for 39 wonderful years. Forever each other's "subway sweethearts," Steven and Marion built an incredible life together full of adventure, support, and tons of laughter.
Shortly after beginning his career with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, he and Marion relocated to the Capital Region. He continued his work as an Environmental Scientist, focused on air quality initiatives. Steve was dedicated to ensuring that all residents of New York State, regardless of background, city, or neighborhood, could breathe clean air. He was one of the state's leading experts on Mercury pollution, and would provide endless guidance on how much tuna is actually safe to eat. Throughout his 35 year career, Steve always maintained his passion for his work and formed close bonds with his coworkers.
While he would have never called it work, Steve's most important and favorite job was being a parent to his children, Sam and Elana. You could not find a father more dedicated to his kids and their lives, volunteering endless hours at sporting events, helping them with schoolwork, cooking meals, and always offering a shoulder to lean on. He gifted them with his unbelievable sense of humor, love of the outdoors, and deep appreciation for music. He cursed them with inherited fandoms of the Jets, Mets, and Knicks. He loved his entire family fiercely, endlessly, and dedicated his life to putting joy into theirs.
Steve will be remembered for his ability to make anyone laugh. He told stories filled with color, he made jokes with a quick wit, relished in the absurdities of daily life and found hysterical meaning in them. More than anything, though, he will be thought of for his kindness. If anyone was rude to Steve, he considered what might have happened in their day. If he saw someone who needed assistance, he never hesitated to help. He would bring bags of fruit to the people who slept in the parking garage at his job, and he knew them all by name. Steve cared profoundly for others in a way that all who knew him wanted to emulate in their lives.
Steve is predeceased by his father, Anthony DeSantis; his mother, Carmella DeSantis; and his father and mother-in-law, George and Trudy Kornfein. He is survived by his beloved wife of 34 years, Marion; his children, Elana (Lucy) and Sam (Anne); and his brothers, Louis, Angelo, and Gary. He also leaves behind his nieces, nephew, and his group of devoted friends, who were a part of his family for decades. Steve will be so dearly missed. He was the best.
Donations can be made in his honor to the Adirondack Rail Trail Association. A celebration of life will be held sometime in the Spring of 2026 to commemorate his joyful memory.