- Welcome to Daley Life Celebration Studio, where we Celebrate the Color of Life.
Stephen W. Iannotti
Coach I was that teacher who could unlock any kid’s potential; from the late 70’s he taught Math and U.S. History at Kingsway and was selected as the “Teacher of the Year” in 1999. He believed in his students, and they knew it. He saw their innate goodness. Of course, first and foremost, he maintained order in the school, in and out of his classroom. As a Kingsway High coach, the story was much the same. Though he often said that he couldn’t teach size, he knew with smarts and speed you could work your way past just about any obstacle. He had lived it himself; at 5 ‘3, number 61 was a formidable guard and linebacker playing Freshman, JV and Varsity football at Pitman High. They called him Runt. He had a lifelong love affair with athletics: organized baseball from his early days (2nd base and pitcher), high school basketball, golf dating back to his days as a caddy at Pitman Golf Club, softball in his later years and a whole lot of running. He had two “holes in one” and still shot in the 80s with his buddies at Pitman every week. He was a member of 1972 Group I State Championship Runner-Up team known as “The Dirty Dozen”. This team was elected to the Pitman High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. Steve continued playing at Gloucester County College and graduated with a B.A. in Education from West Chester University. He coached championship baseball and football teams at KRHS and was a coach of the State Championship football team. Between running and walking, he had logged 63,000 miles. He was a regular at the Dragon Run and the July 4 Freedom Run in Pitman. If he wasn’t competing he was watching; a fan of the Redskins and the Mets and always rooting for the underdog. Might have just been that he loved to agitate Philly fans. He skipped music, preferring the sounds of W.I.P. and whatever game caught his fancy. Growing up, vacations always had a sports tie in: Fenway Park, pro football summer camps, etc. Following retirement he worked with the children at Beckett Christian School (Living Hope Daycare.) The kids adored Mr. Steve. Quiet times found him reading, mostly history and biographies; he had an obsession with U.S. history and the Civil War. He had a soft spot for all animals; a lifelong dog lover (he recently nursed his dog, Lexi back to health) and was known to pull his car over to give a turtle a hand crossing the highway. He was raised in Pitman and lived in Logan Township.
Predeceased by his parents, James and Alberta Iannotti, Steve is survived by his daughter, Lucy and her stepsiblings: John Anthony and Julie, his sister, Wendy Iannotti Whipple (Bruce), his nieces, Jamie (Kane) and Molly (Allen) and his aunt and godmother, Marjorie Lewis (William), several cousins, countless friends and his beloved pup, Lexi.
Come celebrate 72 great years Thursday, January 15, 5-7 p.m. at Kingsway Regional High School, Eitel Theater, where there will be a 7 p.m. service.
Additionally, all are welcome to view Coach I’s Storytime service Wednesday January 14, 6 p.m. on Zoom. Meeting I.D. is 617 091 8655.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of these charities in memory of Steve:
Kingsway Educational Foundation
https://www.krsd.org/our-community/kingsway-education-foundation-kef/round-up-for-kef
Please designate in Steve’s memory for the Barchuk Heart of a Dragon Scholarship Fund, KRHS, 201 Kings Highway, Swedesboro, NJ 08085.
Friends of the Gloucester County Library System, (please designate for Logan Twp Branch Library), 389 Wolfert Station Rd., Mullica Hill, NJ 08062.
Gloucester Co. Animal Shelter https://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/211/Donate-to-Us
1200 N. Delsea Dr., Bldg. C, Clayton, NJ 08312.
26 Comments
Steve,
You were always a quiet force that was loved and respected by your friends! I can only hope that the afterlife brings you peace, love, and special friendships. You will be missed my friend. God Speed!
Prayers for Steve and all his family! What a good man and a great life! May he rest in peace!
Steve. You will be so missed. You were someone I could talk to and lean on. You were always so fun to hang around with and you had a truly genuine heart and spirit. You have a special place in so many hearts, especially mine. Rest my friend. Lots of love.
Steve. I will really miss seeing you at the Acme. It was nice to stop and talk weekly after so many years. You had many friends at the Acme who will be missing you too!! I hope in heaven you find a good group of men to meet up with on the golf course. Rest in Peace Steve.
May you rest in peace and be with the Lord.
I remember Steve as a classmate, a teammate, and a friend, as exuberant, enthusiastic about whatever he was doing, including people into whatever he was up to at that moment. I never knew him to be mean or condescending. He was kind, and eager to get to the next fun thing. Also, when I think of Steve the football player, I remember him as a clever and talented Quarterback. His command of the field and genius at calling plays led Pitman Frosh and JV Football to undefeated seasons three years in a row.
Many thanks for introducing Bob to the Logan Library history book club. The library was THE last place I expected to run into you. Many good memories of early days. Sincerest sympathy to your family.
Mr. I was one of those teachers who gave his students so much respect from day one giving an even playing field for teacher and student to collaborate and grow in the school year. Walking into his math class felt like having the fun uncle teaching you, with love and patience, and some sort of football analogy every class to make it fun. Our time with him was a blessing and a gift.
Mr. I was one of those teachers who gave his students so much respect from day one giving an even playing field for teacher and student to collaborate and grow in the school year. Walking into his math class felt like having the fun uncle teaching you, with love and patience, and some sort of football analogy every class to make it fun. Our time with him was a blessing and a gift. Thank you for your role in my and so many other students lives.
Mr. I was one of those teachers who gave his students so much respect from day one giving an even playing field for teacher and student to collaborate and grow in the school year. Walking into his math class felt like having the fun uncle teaching you, with love and patience, and some sort of football analogy every class to make it fun. Our time with him was a blessing and a gift. Thank you for your role in uplifting mine and so many fellow students lives. Job well done coach!!!
Rest In Peace Steve. Will never forget your smile, laugh, or sense of humor. He loved Rudy Pasuty.
We knew Mr Steve from Living Hope Daycare. Our child is Autistic and felt comfortable with Mr Steve the MOMENT they met!! When he started being bussed from his PreSchool to Daycare until I got home from work, I was sooo nervous but Mr Steve was always waiting for him and walked him into the Daycare! I will ALWAYS be grateful!!! Our “baby” is 16 now and would still get excited to see Mr Steve around town, or at the Acme. Our hearts are broken!! he will ALWAYS be loved & missed!!
Mr.I was a great man who always struck up a conversation with us whenever we saw him. We always enjoyed seeing him, either jogging along Center Sq Rd or a the local establishments. He will be missed by so many of us in Swedesboro area!!!💙💙
Prayers to Lucy and his family!
Steve was a few years older than me. So, I never played ball directly against him. But, I knew of his talents and abilities at Pitman HS. I got to know him well in the late 70’s and 80’s by playing extensive slow pitch softball with him in several leagues. The relationship continued as he had all four of my children as teacher or coach in KRHS. They all adored him. I liked him immensely and had some good times with him. I will miss him a lot!
Jeffery F Jenkins
COME HOME, FAITHFUL SERVANT
Come home, faithful servant, come home,
you don’t have to fear being alone.
Good and faithful servant, come home to me,
look at the room I’ve prepared for thee.
You’ve run the race, and you’ve run it well,
you’ve fought against the angels from hell.
You have fought your fight, I’m proud of your life,
now come home to Me, just follow the light .
Many times you did well going up against Satan,
and for you, more than once, there was no haven.
So good and faithful servant, come home to me,
look at the room I’ve prepared for thee.
COME INTO MY ARMS
Come, my child, come into my arms,
come, my child, I mean you no harm.
You lived the life, and you lived it well,
you did my will, and I can tell.
You fought the fight, and I must say,
you fought so well; you chased sin away.
You did well, and I’m proud of you,
I have this room made just for you.
So come into my arms, let me hold you tight,
you’ve won the battle; you’ve won the fight.
No more pain and no more tears,
no more wants and no more fears.
Come, my child, come into my arms,
come my child, don’t be alarmed.
Come, my child, where there is no harm,
there is no dusk, and there is no dawn.
One of the good ones❤️ thank you for always supporting my husband‘s memorial golf tournament. You will be dearly missed.
Mr I was an awesome teacher and great person. He helped me out in so many ways in school and was the reason I loved Math and history so much. You will be greatly missed and fly high with the eagles your new found wings.
I had the pleasure of coaching Steve when he was in Little League and later sharing many years as a colleague at Kingsway. He was truly one of a kind, but first and foremost always dedicated to his students and athletes. Rose and I were devastated when we heard the news, as she had such great memories from Middle School days. Our prayers to the family and all his many friends God bless you Steve
A good man, a good soul, may he rest in peace. My prayers and thoughts are with his family and friends. May we always carry Coach I’s spirit in our hearts.
Steve and I were in the Class of 72 at PHS. We played alot of golf together and shared many good times with much humor and laughter.
That’s the trait I liked about him the most. He had a natural smile that was contagious, and genuinely cared about other people. I imagine that is why he became a successful coach/educator.
I last saw him at our 50 year class reunion.
I am a better person for having known him. Please take comfort in knowing that Steve was loved by many people.
Mr. I, you were the best math teacher I ever had. But not only that, you cared. I’m 38 years old now and just a couple years ago. I heard your distinguishable voice yell out Miiiike! And before I even saw you, I knew who it was. And I remember driving away that day thinking, I graduated 20 years ago and I made an impression on this man as big as he has on me?
Mr. I was more than a coach, and teacher. He was a mentor a brother a father and uncle. A rare type of person to exist today, let alone be a teacher. I wasn’t on the football team. I wasn’t the popular guy at that age. And he made me feel important.
I can’t express the sorrow I feel, and I can’t even imagine this how his family is feeling.
If there was ever a candidate for heaven, Mr. I was an exemplary individual. So I hope his family all take comfort in the fact that they know they will see him again.
Steve I miss seeing you when I’m out running. You always had encouraging words when we would pass each other. I wish that there was something that I could have said or done. Rest well my friend.
Love you Steve: your kindness and smile will be forever missed💔❣️
Mr. Steve, as I came to know him, was a remarkable guy. We worked side by side at Beckett Christian Preschool for five years! We spend a lot of that time talking about families, history, politics, etc. I’ll never forget he came to my 40th birthday party and I was so excited to see him! As the years rolled on, I would always stop to talk to him as he was running around Logan, or at least beep at him. He loved his daughter Lucy deeply. I’m going to miss Mr. Steve, my prayers are with his family.
Steve looked after both of my kids when they were little at Living hope daycare. That is where I met him. He remembered my kids names as I believe he remembered many of them, because her CARED.
As time passed, and my kids grew I would see him around town, ALWAYS running. He would come up to me and yell HEY JIMMY!!! and we would share a few back and forth about the Mets, most of the time about the frustrations, but always shining a light on something good.
I admired him for his resilience, running in ALL types of weather. in fact I only saw him driving ONE time and that was at Heritages shortly after his retirement.
Even as they grew he would ask about my kids.
Steve was good people. We all lost someone special.
beat to his family and all those who knew him.
I liked Steve a lot. He was a good man. Played lots of softball with him as a young adult and he had all 4 of my kids at KRHS in one capacity or another. They all loved him. He will be missed.