Stephen Hugh Hochberg died on May 5, 2020 at the age of 80, and is survived by his wife Shielagh, brother and sister-in-law Ronald and Joan Hochberg, nieces Lisa Weinstein and Julie Hochberg, cousins Henry and Charles Chapman, and great nephews David and Brian Greenberg. Stephen is also survived by his step-son, Alex Shusta. The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Steve spent the last few months of his life in memory care at the Watercrest of Naples Senior Living facility in North Naples, where he received excellent care in a beautiful and an uplifting environment. In his last weeks he was also conscientiously attended by wonderful Avow Hospice nurses and supportive staff.
Stephen was born on December 24, 1939, the same year that “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz” debuted in theaters. He grew up with a love of going to the movies, in part because his mother worked at a movie theater when he was very small. The usher would let him watch the movies and keep an eye on him. He’d sit in the dark theatre for hours and see the same movie many times, and probably nap.
He grew up on Fox Street in the South Bronx and in his teens moved with his family to Flushing, Queens, in New York City where he graduated from Jamaica High School. He sang in a doo-wop group in high school, called the Heart Tones. Steve went on to attend Queens College but didn’t carry enough credits to avoid the draft, and he joined the Army. He served in Germany on the mail train between Berlin and back to Frankfurt. He was on the same German military base as Elvis Presley and would see him there. He said Elvis was a real soldier and served his tour, even though he was a celebrity by then.
When Steve returned to New York, he finished his undergraduate studies at Queens College and earned his BA in Anthropology. He worked for the New York City Housing Authority as a social worker, and earned two master’s degrees, one from The New School in Liberal Studies, and the other in Public Administration from John Jay College. His career spanned technical writing and training at Citibank. He worked in college teaching and administration, and high school teaching in social studies and English. He spent the majority of his working life with the City of New York, ending as a training manager writing election curriculum and training poll workers for the NYC Board of Elections.
He was a gifted writer and was accepted into the Iowa Writer's Workshop, a real honor and validation of his talent, although he was not able to attend. He used his writing talents throughout his professional life, having several articles published in a human resources journal. He also continued creative writing and published some of his poetry. A highlight of his life as a poet was a public reading at a reception for the opening of a friend’s masters thesis art exhibit, and most memorable was the elegy he wrote and read celebrating the life of Allen Ginsberg who had recently died. Steve lived most of his life in New York City. He and his wife, psychologist Shielagh Shusta Hochberg, eventually moved from Brooklyn and retired in Naples, Florida. One of the prayers he said daily for many years was, “Relieve me from regret over what might have been.” He was an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous and died with over 28 years of continuous sobriety.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Support Network, 660 N. Ninth Street #21, Naples FL 34102. a private Naples nonprofit organization providing caregiver support groups, social hours for men and women with dementia, and Gentlemen’s and Ladies clubs providing weekly lunches, music, games, intellectual stimulation and creative activities. Steve loved Gentlemen’s Club and the fun he had with the other guys, the staff and volunteers as they danced, sang and generally had a wonderful time. After he passed, words of tribute, love and condolence poured in to his family from Support Network staff, fellow members and their families.
His service will take place at the Sarasota National Cemetery on March 5, 2021 at 2 p.m.