My heart and prayers are with the Treadwell family.  Mitchell was such a great mentor helping shape my my career early on when I was 19.  Answering the phones part-time 4pm-7pm, freshman in college, one day he asked "do you want to learn Accounting?" That was the spark that started my career.  We had such great times at Ariel Corp, mostly good but sprinkled with the occasional bad.  Many of the lessons he taught me I still use today.  Aside from that, he was a good friend.  Always there when you needed help or advice. He was not afraid to tell you how it is or afraid to be himself. He simply loved life and lived it the way he wanted.  I can still hear him singing at the top of his lungs Patti Labelle, not caring who heard or what anyone thought.  Imagine sitting in a castle (which is where Ariel Corp originally was) the acoustics it provided, you could hear him 3 floors above!  I know you are singing in heaven my friend.  Rest in peace.

I met Steven when I was around 11 years old during a bus trip to Washington DC. It was an overnight, cosponsored by the Board of Ed and a program called PUSH.

I could not stand that little boy. Steven was a precocious kid - what my grandmother would call “mannish”. He was inquisitive (read nosey) and a natural born leader and somehow he was able to incite the other children on the trip to running through the halls, knocking on doors - just general bad behavior. Of course everyone got in trouble but Steve.

Little did I know - the boy I did not like at all would become one of the greatest influences on my life and we would be inseparable.

Steve and I did almost everything together. In high school, he would sit at the desk behind me in chemistry class and he wasn’t even enrolled in the class. Did the lab work too. When I went to Home Ec, he went to Home Ec - again NOT HIS CLASS. Why was he allowed to do this? He had a special charm that enabled him to do things that others could never. He could read people and situations and he used that to his advantage to do as he pleased.

After school we would walk together to our jobs at Birnn Chocolates. We ate so much… Steven loved chocolate. One of his favorites was Hershey bars with almonds. I know we looked crazy standing in the aisle in the grocery store feeling every bar to see which ones had the most nuts.

Besides Birnn we worked at many different companies together. One of our shared obsessions was applying for jobs whether we wanted the job or not. We could not resist a help wanted sign. We just liked the interview process and getting hired. Sometimes we would get hired and not even show up for the job.

Steven was (as he was fond of saying) many things. He was the provider and fierce protector of his wife and children. He was a devoted son to Miss Betty and H.O. A grandson who was totally in love with his grandparents. He was a loving nephew, brother, uncle and cousin who was always ready help and give advice. And he was proud of his family. He was the unofficial son to my parents. He and my mom had a standing Christmas shopping date every year. He spent many hours talking what was “man stuff” and apparently none of my business with my dad.

He was my best friend. My confidante and coconspirator. He didn’t hesitate when I told him I was going to “borrow” my father’s car while my parents were in Hawaii so he could teach me to drive a manual transmission. He was down for all my shenanigans unless it was just too ridiculous, then he was the voice of reason. He was one who rescued me from flat tires and questionable suitors. Consequently, he was also the reason I kept bail money in the house because some times his method of rescue was less than gentle. He was my advisor, my cheerleader, my biggest supporter. He promised me he would always be there for me and he was true to his word.

There’s a lot more I could tell about my friend:

like the time we were in NYC and he stopped the car in the middle of the 6th Ave to help a blind woman who was stuck in the street to cross.

I could tell you that he hated all things creamy with the exception of ice cream and that he liked his food hot and well done to the point of burnt.

Or that he loved slow walking someone down in a good pair of Chelsea boots, giving side eye and then turning on his heels and clicking away.

And he is the only person I know to have an arch nemesis.

But I won’t tell you any of that because I hear him in my spirit right now telling me “Loose lips sinks ships”.

Thank you family for sharing Thank you Yvette for being so gracious and understanding of this relationship.

As a tribute I would like to read some of the lyrics to one of Steve’s favorite songs.

You are my friend

I never knew it 'til then

My friend, my friend

You hold my hand

You might not say a word

But I see your tears when I show my pain

You're--- my, my friend

I never knew it 'til then

My friend

I feel your love

When you're not near

It helps me make it knowing you care

The thought of you helps me carry on

When I feel all hope is gone

I see the world with brand new eyes

Your love has made me realize

My future looks bright to me,

Oh because you are my friend

Rest In Peace 🕊 Steve Treadwell. I am profoundly sad for us all. I pray that your soul finds its place among the angels in heaven. ~April