Stephen Vincent Castronovo

June 1st, 1988 - September 16th, 2020

Stephen's Memory Wall

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Should have written this last year, but here we go. Steve was an on-and-off friend of mine in middle school and high school. We were kind of like oil and water and annoyed the he** out of each other but despite his sassiness and clapbacks I knew he was a good guy who cared about his family and about his friends. (And to be honest, I was not the easiest person to love so I'm sure he was not fond of me all the time.) What sticks with me now, after all these years and the times he'd come to mind or his brother would come to mind, is his love for his family/friends and anything he really cared about. I can still see his sheepish grin in my head, which probably means I saw it a lot. Steve, I'm sorry for giving you a hard time! And if there's anything beyond this life, whatever your or your family's beliefs are, as for me, I'm undecided, but if there is, I'm sure you're having a great time wherever that is or at least up to something interesting.

Peri Shareghi

October 7th, 2021 at 8:08pm

Steve was one of my first friends when I moved to New Buffalo in the 6th grade. Moving so much growing up, I couldn't keep friends and struggled to find my place, but Steve and his brother Lance helped me feel welcome. At 12 years old, Steve agreed to be my first "boyfriend" in a note passed to him by a mutual friend; for two whole weeks, we would hold hands and avert our gaze until we realized we were better off as friends. Through middle and high school and just a year into college, I would watch him grow into the brilliant, inclined, hilariously witty, and tender person he was. May we all remember Steve warmly, and hold each other in times when love is most needed.

Christine Webster

September 23rd, 2020 at 5:12pm

My best friend in middle school and high school. If I wasn't at his house, he was at mine. We were practically brothers, his family mine and mine, his. He was so smart. I was always so jealous of that. I'd always secretly compete with him in everything, because I thought I'd I kept up with him, I was on the right path. I have too many memories to share and can't believe he is gone. We fell out of touch after high school, but I never gave up hope that we'd meet again and talk about the years that have passed. Stephen, buddy... I'll miss you so much.

Patrick Ryba (P.J.)

September 22nd, 2020 at 7:22pm

Steve was one of the most brilliant and talented human beings I had ever met. He was profoundly gifted, a true builder and engineer. When we were kids I remember his entire bedroom was covered in computer parts, radios, anything he could get his hands on, he would take apart, and rebuild. He learned MS DOS as a young kid and could navigate any computer, any program, anything with a manual, truly anything. He re-networked the local pharmacy and other businesses as a teenager, at maybe 16. He had an old car that used to be his fathers that he always wanted to rebuild, and in the interim worked on his own vehicles. He read through an entire engine manual and with a few friends he rebuilt a car engine together. We installed a catalytic converter in my old car, and I have still said to this day that he’s the reason I know anything about cars! When we were in high school we went through Notre Dames summer Nuclear Physics program in together as some of the youngest students they ever had at the time, all memories that I will deeply cherish. The world lost a very special, brilliant, wonderful person. Not only was he so gifted, he was a kind, good soul, and I am honored to have known him.

Emily Shafer

September 22nd, 2020 at 10:18am

To say it was an honor to know Steve would be an understatement. All of us in his department at Eimo were in awe of Steve. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t figure out or do or design or engineer the heck out of – smile. He was a brilliant man. His intelligence was deep and profound and his compassion for his friends was amazing. I personally feel blessed to have had Steve in my life. I was one of the lucky ones. I feel devastated to know he’s ‘gone’ and I never said ‘goodbye’ but he will be forever in our hearts. (Dear Sir Vincent – you will be missed SO MUCH and you were so dear to us. When I catch up with you on the other side, Mister, you are going to get such a lecture…)