59 is far too young to go...I met Steve while I was still an NU student and had started contributing to the board, and would run into him at any number of tailgates over the years. I didn't know him well, but he would always engage me in a friendly conversation about the 'Cats, and I enjoyed his sense of humor. He will be missed.
I'm reposting the only obituary I could find, from a Wheaton high schools facebook group:
Steve Fridley, aged 59, a resident of Wheaton, passed away suddenly on Thursday, February 9, 2023. He was born June 25, 1963 in Geneva, IL. He was a devoted son, dedicated uncle, loyal friend, and committed dog dad. He will be dearly missed.
Steve grew up in Wheaton where he attended Lowell, Edison and Wheaton Central High School. As a kid on long summer days or after school you could find Steve climbing to the tops of trees or the water tower, riding his classic 70s chopper to the local 7-11 or G&G Pharmacy for a slurpee, playing a pickup game of ball with friends, practicing his trumpet, listening to records, reading piles of books or watching Cubs games. He cherished and maintained lifelong relationships with many school friends and had gotten together with old friends just days before he passed.
He graduated from Northwestern University, where he majored in Political Science and became a diehard NU Wildcat sports fan. He attended countless basketball and football games and tailgate parties with friends, family and alumni. He moderated a number of fan boards and relished the analysis, camaraderie and lively exchanges with other fans.
After college he worked on a variety of political campaigns, then channeled his love for books into a career managing several B. Dalton and Barnes & Noble book store locations in and around Chicago. Later, he worked as an Accreditation Specialist and then as the Executive Director for the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). He enjoyed the years he spent living in Lincoln Park and Andersonville in Chicago.
Steve made friends at each stop along the way, from the campaigns to Michigan Avenue to Ryan Field to the neighborhood YMCA and his home on Indiana Street. In recent years, the Midwest Disc Dog Club became another social center for him. There, his Australian Kelpie, Taz, took Steve to a number of Disc Dog competitions and generously let Steve share in the glory of his accomplishments. On Indiana street neighbors knew they could count on Steve to lend a hand with whatever was needed - dog sitting, lawn mowing or snow blowing if someone was ill, setting up tables for the 4th of July block party, or chatting around the firepit on a cool fall evening.
Over the years, Steve also enjoyed his experiences skydiving, hiking in the mountains, and traveling to Europe a number of times. He adopted 6 pets including cats Squeak, Shifty, Fitz & Willie, and his two beloved dog boys, Taz, and a Border Collie he named Flick. He is survived by his parents Daniel and Sandra Fridley; his sisters Debbie (the late Mark) Nerad and Sara (John) Hellman; his nieces and nephews: Alex (Shea) Nerad, Chris (Sara) Nerad, Rachel (Jake) Markum, Emilie Nerad, and Jericho Hellman; his grandnieces and grandnephews: Bryce, Charlie Beth, Soren, Graham, Ellie and Wade. He is also survived by his beloved canine companions, Taz & Flick.
In lieu of flowers, Memorial gifts may be made to:
Naperville Area Humane Society.
1620 West Diehl Rd.
Naperville,IL 60563
630 420 8989 or
People’s Resource Center
201 S. Naperville Road, Wheaton, Il. 60187
630 682 5402
