Stephen F. Ade

November 15, 1950 - February 11, 2021

Stephen F. Ade, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, dedicated public servant, and lifelong bleeding heart liberal, passed away peacefully at the age of 70 on February 11, 2021 surrounded by his family and siblings. He is preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Elizabeth Ade, his sister Susan Meier, and brother Peter Ade. Born in Racine Wisconsin, he was raised in Kenosha, in a loving family, which included two brothers Ken (Karen) Ade, Tom (Dawn) Ade, and two sisters, Mary Hensiak and Sue Meier. As the middle child, he always had someone on his side. After serving in the Army during the Vietnam War, he returned home and married Cindi Phillips. In 1980, he moved his young family to St. Louis to pursue a career as a cartographer with the Defense Mapping Agency (Now NGIA), all the while telling his wife, Cindi, “Two years tops, I promise”. Forty years later, they had built a wonderful life, in good times and bad, sharing adventures, travels, and their expanding family that brought him great joy. In his many years on Earth, Steve relentlessly explored its four corners through his travels with family and friends. From humble childhood camping trips to European adventures, he never turned down an opportunity to explore. After thirty years of service to the Department of Defense, he made it his mission to visit every state. Upon accomplishing this amazing feat, he declared that the best state was undoubtedly the exquisite island of Hawaii, which he and Cindi enjoyed on numerous occasions. Appreciation of the simple things was a hallmark of his life. From his interest in all history, piles of books to cooking experiments, he loved learning something new. He was particularly proud of his signature buttered noodles (for which he has yet to be praised by Ecole Culinaire or his wife who regretted asking him to cook in her absence). Fortunately, he redeemed himself every Friday night (when it was too cold to golf) by making homemade pizza. Years of careful experimentation yielded a crispy crust with perfectly balanced toppings so notorious his daughters were never short of friends when dinnertime came. On warmer Friday nights, he could be found with his band of buddies, the Fat Boys, whose profiles have likely graced the halls of the FBI at various points in their history. Over the many years of golf and softball, they provided one another with the kind of support necessary to raise daughters presumptuous enough to become teenagers. His love of animals was a constant in his life. The first dog he owned, a german shepherd named Olga, was the most disciplined subordinate (animal or human) he would ever know. A few rather unattractive mutts followed who sometimes behaved as though they were part of a litter found on three mile island. Finally, he transitioned to golden retrievers, who were eager, loyal companions. Just what he needed in retirement. His children, Amy and Laura, remember him fondly surrounded by Packers gear, sharing his opinions via written letter with every elected official, fighting for what he knew was right, and smoking his cigars, which he happily shared with his sons-in-law, Jason and Ryan. His grandchildren (Avery, Megan, Aiden, Sydney, and Colin) will always remember him as the one who showed up. Whether it was an orchestra concert, sporting event, school dance pictures, or simply a backyard game of catch, he showed up. He was a constant presence in their lives, from the big things, the little things, and everything in between. Steve will be sadly missed by all who knew him. As one of the Fat Boys so eloquently stated, ‘RIP my friend and hit it where the Crows are f’ing the Chickens, Seve!’ A memorial luncheon followed by military funeral honors and a committal service at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is being planned for spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mathews-Dickey Boys & Girls Club of St. Louis (https://www.mathews-dickey.com/donate.html) or Stray Rescue (https://www.strayrescue.org/steve-ade).