Steve died peacefully in hospital on January 26, 2024. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Lu (née Gravelle); their children, Michèle (James), Jodi, and Daren (Shannon); their grandsons Michael and David (Carly); Steve’s youngest brother Donald (Linda, deceased); and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Radu and Margaret Jonescu, and his brothers, John, George, and William (aka “Bucko”).
Steve was born in Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, but grew up and married in Timmins, Ontario. The third of five brothers, Steve excelled in competitive sports throughout his youth. The perfect game he pitched as a teenager, with the game ball preserved by his mother, is a family legend.
Steve used his love of sports and his sense of humour to begin a career in journalism working as a sportswriter. A stickler for proper vocabulary and grammar, he naturally progressed to positions as an editor and occasional writer at the Ottawa Citizen, where he worked for three decades.
A private service will be held in the spring/summer.