On Monday, October 12th, 2022, students and faculty of Nyack High School took a moment of silence to remember our head of cafeteria services, Mr. Steve Wilson, who unfortunately passed that day.
“Steve was a very special individual, he really was," said Nyack High School principal Ms. Saieva. "I know that he had worked for some time at St. Thomas Aquinas and then he came over to Nyack. I’ve known him from the time he was a parent as well, and as a community member. He had a very warm, kind and giving heart. His friends described him as someone who referred to his wife as “his honey” and he raised two beautiful children that we had the pleasure of knowing as well.”
Ms. Saieva also commented that during the memorial service, members of Wilson's family distributed white feathers to all who attended in honor of Wilson's love of nature. “The feathers were a symbol of letting go of his kind soul,” Ms. Saieva explained.
I also had the chance to speak with some of our administration and staff to hear about their experiences while working with Mr. Wilson.
Ms. Saeiva, Principal:
“When it came to his work, what impressed me about him was that he always took the time to do quality checks with the students. He always went above and beyond, even as far as making sure the kiosk in the hallway was reinvented, which he had painted vibrant colors to make it more eye-catching. This was really more than a job to him. He really wanted to make sure that he was accommodating the students the best he could, and also taking care of the people that worked in the kitchen. He cared about each and every one of them and they felt that as well. With the passing of Steve, you could see how much the students cared about him and how much he will be missed by them."
Ms. Pichardo, Assistant Principal:
“I thought he was kind, he was caring, loving, and extremely flexible. He accommodated every single one of our kids and he always took care of their needs. He just was a very kind soul, and we all miss him dearly."
Mr. Teasdale, Assistant Principal:
“I thought he was a really hard worker. He was very generous with his time here and how he treated people. He had a really complicated job because he was not just in charge of food services here at the high school, but in charge of the district, so that put him in every school, in every kitchen, with every staff member. So, not only was he working here with our students, but he would drive from school to school and deliver things and bring things back and manage everything. We’ve known him from when his two children, Arabella and Zack, both graduated from here, so we’ve known him for years before he worked for us."
Mr. Bradley, Dean of Students:
“I was able to speak with him pretty much almost every day, being in the cafeteria during lunch duty, and Mr. Wilson took his work with a lot of pride and he knew how important it was to make sure that the students had access to healthy foods. His concern was always for the students, so I think that showed what type of person he was. He would always bounce back and forth between the cafeteria and deli lane to make sure that everything ran smoothly. He always accommodated the students. Overall, he just was a great person to work with and had a huge impact on all of us."
Mr. McGregor, Security Staff:
“While working with him, I would say he was a very professional person and he always had a smile and a kind word when you saw him."
Thank you, Mr. Wilson, for everything you have done as part of our staff and for always being a kind soul here at Nyack. You will be dearly missed.