St. Augustine, FL/Livonia, NY:  At age 78, Steph passed away peacefully surrounded by family at his home in St. Augustine, FL. He was born in Brooklyn, NY on May 4, 1944 to the late Murray and Jean Sellinger who taught him to follow his dreams.

Steph is survived by his wife of 39 years, Judy Long, 11 foreign exchange student sons and daughters they hosted, his brother Lewis Sellinger, nieces Anna (Pete Langway) Sellinger, Donna Sellinger, Becky Sellinger and Sequoia Sellinger, his sister-in-law Denise Long (Mark Lorenzen) and sister-in-law Dana Keefer, his cat Hobie, as well as many cousins and his nephew Skipper Singer. He was predeceased by his parents and his half sister and brother-in-law Marilyn (Louis) Singer and his nephew Harvey Singer.

Steph attended Brooklyn College where he met many lifelong friends. He was a surveyor for the building of the World Trade Center. He ran his own business, Jack of Hearts Silkscreen Designs for many years and then went back into the regular work force where he used his training in Geology and construction as a Construction Inspector for a private company and then worked with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation in several different capacities.

Steph had a wide range of interests. He loved to travel, to learn about religions of the world, to geocache, to learn trivia, to sail, to play with his kitties. He was an avid outdoorsman, a gardener, a volunteer fireman, a musician and washtub bass player, an environmentalist, a community activist, a merchant mariner, a craftsman and silk screen printer, and he was always ready for an adventure. He was a wonderful host dad and loved by his family and friends.

When Steph and Judy moved to the Hudson valley in 1996, they joined Nyack Boat Club and started sailing in earnest. They both became Coast Guard Master Captains and embarked on a ten year life of cruising the US East Coast and Bahamas in their sailboat, along with their cat Hobie.

Steph was helpful, compassionate, thoughtful, shy, giving, loving, funny and a real jokester.

Due to COVID and Stephen’s far-flung friends and family, the first celebration of his life was largely a Zoom event. It was attended by his entire family and many friends. Many of them and all of Stephen and Judy’s exchange students participated by sending memories to read at the service.

Now Judy and Hobie the Cat are having 8 Celebrations of Steph’s Life for Steph’s Magical Memorial Mystery Tour.

A Gathering to Celebrate Stephen’s Life will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Lakeville United Church of Christ, 5687 Big Tree Road, Lakeville, NY starting at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: Lakeville UCC or to Nyack Boat Club, 59 Gedney St., Nyack, NY 10960. Please write “Stephen Sellinger” in the memo section. To share a memory or condolence, please visit: www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com