Stephen L. Wadelton

Stephen (Steve) L. Wadelton passed away peacefully on September 7, 2021, at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, from leukemia, resulting from MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome), a disease whose slow progression he had been living with for more than five years.

Steve was born on January 5, 1945, in Mt. Vernon, NY, and grew up and lived most of his life in Yonkers, NY. He was a graduate of Gorton High School, Yonkers, and of Marymount College, Tarrytown, NY, where he earned a BS in Business Administration/Training and Development. His work life included a 25 year career with Technicon Corp., a manufacturer of biomedical and industrial chemical testing equipment, where he was involved with customer education, R&D, and field service training.

After high school, he also enlisted in the New York National Guard, 101st Signal Battalion, a secondary career, where he served for 25 years, honing his innate teaching and leadership skills. After retiring from federal service, he joined the NY State Guard, and served an additional 15 years. He made lifelong friends in both those military organizations, and was very proud of their service together.

After retirement in 2006, Steve found his true home when he and his wife Susan, moved to Washington Depot. He loved everything about this beautiful town, and was involved in many volunteer activities over the years – Inland Wetlands Committee, Washington Ambulance, American Legion, VNA Hospice Volunteer, Veterans Services. He was also active in the First Congregational Church, and served for a time as the Town Webmaster and as a Boat Launch Inspector. Steve valued these connections with his neighbors and coworkers, and felt he gained so much more than he gave.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Susan (Hulburt) Wadelton; his daughter Sarah Carr-Locke, of Brooklyn, NY, and her husband David; his daughter Ellen Willert, of New Milford, CT, and their husband Dimitri and their sons, his beloved grandchildren, Stephen and James Willert. He is also survived by beloved nieces, nephews, and their children.

The family would like to thank the medical and support staff at Diebold Cancer Center, New Milford, for their kind and compassionate care of Steve during his many months of treatment. We would also like to thank all those on Steve’s medical team, and in support roles, on Harkness Eleven, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, for their excellent and compassionate care of Steve in his final months of life. You were his second family.

A Memorial/Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, October 9, at 10:30 AM at the First Congregational Church in Washington, CT.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Steve’s name to the following: Washington Ambulance Association, PO Box 294, Washington Depot, CT 06794; The Trustees of Columbia University, with a memo note stating it is for Dr. Raza and the MDS Research Program in memory of Steve Wadelton. The mailing address is Azra Raza, M.D., Columbia University Medical Center, 177 Fort Washington Ave., Milstein Hospital Building, Room 6GN-435, New York, NY 10032