Obituary: Stephen R Goldenberg

August 26, 1936 – May 6, 2025

Stephen R Goldenberg

August 26, 1936 – May 6, 2025

Stephen R Goldenberg passed away in his sleep on May 6, 2025. He was 88.

He was born August 26, 1936 to the late Irving Goldenberg and Lillian Levine Goldenberg in Brooklyn N.Y. He always felt that he was lucky to have grown up in Brooklyn in the good times when the Brooklyn Dodgers played baseball at Ebbets Field. He attended PS 208, Midland High School and Brooklyn College. He finished his schooling in Philadelphia where he attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

He began his professional career at Haskins and Sells as an accountant. During a lull in business, a group of young accountants, including Steve, were sent to computer school. Everyone else considered it punishment except Steve. He had found his calling. When the “paper crisis” hit Wall Street in the late 1960’s Goldman Sachs hired Steve to take them into the Computer Age. He succeeded and also led the shift to the computerized clearing of trades at the NYSE. He became a Partner at Goldman Sachs – a role he found deeply fulfilling.

Then in 1979, while skiing in Snowmass, CO, he fell in love with the mountains and declared, “This is where I’m going to live.” He retired from GS and in 1985 moved to Aspen with his wife Cheryl. They purchased a home on Hopkins Avenue in 1986 and lived there together for the next 38 years.

Steve spent countless joyful hours skiing and biking well into his 80’s. He was often seen riding his bike with a large flag waving behind him, stopping to talk to anyone – whether they were five or ninety five – about nearly any topic. He had a gift for striking up conversations. If you ever found yourself in one of those spontaneous chats with him you might have wondered how it started but you often ended up captivated by his stories and insights.

In addition to skiing and biking, he pursued his life long passion for photography. He was always editing photos – his own and everyone else’s – to make them “better”. His love of classical music was nurtured at the Aspen Music Tent where he could be found nearly every summer day when there was a performance.

Steve was known to many as “the fixer.” Whether it was a broken appliance, a car issue, or a complex tech challenge. Steve had an uncanny ability to solve problems others had given up on. A lifelong gadget enthusiast his home was filled with clever devices and cutting edge technology. He was the go-to for advice for everything and anything.

He maintained many friendships that stretch back over 80 years, still connecting with his childhood friends. He hosted monthly zoom calls with his Phi Lamba Delta fraternity brothers from Brooklyn College to share old stories and debate current events. Steve was delighted when Michael Slone and his family moved in next door . They have been great neighbors and friends to him. He loved his life, his town, his friends (especially Shlomo) and his bike.

Steve is survived by his loving wife Cheryl and by the children he loved: Russell Goldenberg and wife Melanie of The Cayman Islands, Tracy McCarthy and husband Pete of Nahant, MA. and his four adored grandchildren: Jason Goldenberg and wife Samantha, Kori Goldenberg and her partner Cody, Ryan Smith and Justin Smith and his treasured great grandchildren, Stetson and Rhenlee. He is also survived by his sister Marge Mayer and husband Hans and many nieces and nephews and his cousins Mark Levine and Elizabeth and cousin Barbara.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Steve to HomeCare and Hospice of the Valley, http://www.hchotv.org His family is vey grateful for their care.

Steve’s family and friends will be celebrating his life over a zoom call later this summer with the exact date yet to be determined.