Stephen “Steve” Corbett Hartery, age 67, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, December 22, 2023, surrounded by loved ones following a courageous battle with cancer.
Steve was born at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital on January 23, 1956 to Dorothy (Corbett) and William Hartery of North Reading, MA. He was the third of four boys and as such, Steve grew up to develop an unending love for sports, especially baseball. After graduating from North Reading High School in 1974, he went on to play college baseball (Mass Bay Community College 1975-76 and North Adams State College 1977-78). Steve’s dream of playing professional baseball became a reality in 1978 when he was signed to the Gulf Coast League to play for the Bradenton Cubs, an affiliate of MLB’s Chicago Cubs Organization. After pitching in 11 games with a 6-4 record, he transitioned to the Northwest League to play for the Victoria Mussels out of British Columbia where he played until 1979.
After hanging up his baseball cleats, Steve returned to Massachusetts where he met Gail (Johnson), fell in love, and they were married on September 8, 1984. Steve is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years and two of his children and their spouses, Christopher (Sara Hartery) and Brianna (Derek Allgaier). Steve was the beloved “Bumpa” to 5 grandchildren (Derek, Dylan and Amelia Allgaier & Nolan and Cooper Hartery) whom he adored more than anything. He was the brother of Andrew, Michael and Peter Hartery. Steve was preceded in death by both parents and one daughter, Catherine Marie Hartery.
Steve worked as a senior accountant for the North Reading Public School System for 29 years and was so excited for his well-earned retirement. To know Steve was to love him. And to love Steve meant a strong chance of conversing about any number of his favorite topics: baseball, woodworking, his “honey-do” list, sunbathing at the beach or the lake, his daily Numbers game, bowling, his hair, the weather or traffic patterns, his Camaro, home improvement projects, a good deal, a game of Scrabble, Hallmark Christmas movies, or the price of gas.
But in all seriousness, Steve was a people person through and through. Sharing conversations with people, friends and strangers alike, brought him so much happiness. He was equal parts gentle and masculine, funny and genuine, romantic and realist. His passing at this time of year feels bittersweet for so many reasons, because Christmas was his all time favorite. It’s not every day that you meet a man who adored Christmas like Steve did. He wore a different Christmas tie to work every day each December and dreamed of a home big enough for a “Christmas room” where he could set up his favorite decorations to view all year long.
There’s comfort in knowing that Steve was free from pain for Christmas this year. Family, friends, and loved ones who were touched by Steve’s life are invited to join us in celebrating his memory at calling hours on Thursday, December 28, 2023 from 4-7PM at Croswell Funeral Home in North Reading, MA. (www.croswellfuneralhome.com). In lieu of flowers, Steve asked that donations be made in his memory to the Tufts Cancer Center and Little League of America. https://giving.tuftsmedicalcenter.org/cancer https://www.littleleague.org/who-we-are/making-a-donation/