It is with heavy hearts that the Lankin and Christy families announce Steve’s passing at home with his wife, Lorraine Christy, and son, Peter Lankin, by his side.
Steve’s early days spent in Fenelon Falls with his grandma McGee and on the farm at Aunt Ollie’s were happy memories for Steve. He often returned later in life with his own family to visit the special places and people of his childhood
At a young age, Steve ventured out on his own to see the world. He loved to read and his curiosity about the world drew him to places he wanted to experience. He ventured far and met many friends throughout his travels. Although he never got over his fear of flying, he didn’t let that stop him from exploring. He slept under the stars on top of the pyramids in Egypt. He “skied“ down the mountain in Sarajevo after the Olympics. He visited Germany where he stayed long enough to learn the language and take courses in mathematics at the University of Regensburg.
To finance his travels, Steve sometimes came to NW Ontario to plant trees or work in the chemical plants in southern Ontario. Other times he would take jobs overseas, working and fully engulfing himself in foreign cultures. He worked a Kibbutz in Israel, a pig farm in Poland, and picked bananas in Egypt. Steve had a strong back, an open mind, and he never felt out of place in the world.
Initially, Steve came to Thunder Bay to plant trees. That led to attending Lakehead University, and meeting some brilliant characters from the science and engineering departments. Declan Barry, a professor of engineering, was a huge influence on Steve. He appreciated Steve’s keen mind, his thirst for knowledge, as well as his wit. Declan was instrumental in establishing a scholarship for Steve to complete his PhD on the use of polymers in pacemakers, at Bradford University in England; which is where Steve was headed until he met Lorraine…
A year later in July, 1995, Lorraine and Steve were married at the family camp on Shebandowan Lake. Steve’s pride, Peter Alexander, was born in March 1997.
Once Steve settled down in Thunder Bay, he learned to appreciate the outdoors and all that our nature has to offer. He fit into camp life easily. He understood the work needed to keep a camp running and jumped right in. He loved pontoon rides and exploring back roads on the prowler, eating venison on a stick over a camp fire, and just being outdoors.
He learned to hunt, mostly deer in the Slate valley-he so appreciated the friendships he had with the farmers who let him hunt on their land . He also looked forward to the opening season for hunting moose and the camaraderie with the boys. He had his last hunting season in the fall and was still bow hunting 15’ up a deer stand that he climbed with his one leg, bow strung around his neck, oxygen tubing running up the tree. He was a picture of defiance. To him, in the words of Monty Python, it was “only a flesh wound”.
He shared his love of the world with Lorraine and Petie, taking semesters off school to travel for months overseas. Together we climbed the steps to the Parthenon, and up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We visited the coliseum, and stood on the edge of a smouldering Mt Vesuvius, had mass with Pope John Paul II, drove the Amalfi coast as well as the Algarve. We swam among Lycian sunken villages off the coast of Turkey, ate “beef” on a stick in the market in Marrakech, drank a few pints in England as well as Germany, and Raki in Istanbul. In all the places we travelled, Steve loved it the most when he’d get to share with Lorraine and Petie, the history of the area. He loved to meet the people and prided himself on trying his hand at the language.
Steve was proud of his days working as a chemist at Ogilvie Mills and later enjoyed teaching with Lakehead Public Schools. He had special nicknames for so many of his students, it’s hard to understand how he kept them straight. He loved teaching chemistry and physics at Sir Winston Churchill where he could be heard singing as he walked down the halls, chatting with or teasing students along the way. He absolutely found his people in the Churchill science department. The energetic members took pride in their high standards, student involvement, their laughter, and their shorts. He fit right in with his hyperbolic tales, demonstrative and sometimes explosive lessons, and his shorts.
Steve leaves behind his wife, Lorraine Christy, son, Peter Lankin (Shawna Mehagan) and beloved father-in-law, Peter Christy. Steve was the third of 7 siblings, leaving behind Kathy(Brad Wright), Lori (Graham Dalley), Melanie (Mike Nolan), Ken, Holly (Chris Braun), and Jeremy. He leaves sister-in-law Lynne Seaman (Darrell Penner) and brother-in-law Jack Christy (Larry Adams). Steve loved his family and was a playful uncle to Leslie, Corry, Jordan, Megan, Kate, Kelsey, Jacob, Miles, Samantha, Shea, Kara, Karly, Jaime, Margot and their partners. He also leaves his aunts Bonnie Smith and Marlyn McGee. Steve was predeceased by his parents, Lois and Ken Lankin, and mother-in-law, Dorothy Christy.
Over the last ten years of fighting Steve’s cancer, we met as many obstacles and frustrations as we did exceptional people. These people carried us along, and got us through the years. Thank you Dr Razak, Dr Butler and Sarah, his team at Princess Margaret. You gave us hope and time to make precious memories; and Sarah you meant the world to us both. Thank you to the compassionate nurses on 1A at the TBRHS, as well as Dr Bezanson and his team, Dr Carly, and especially Dr DelPaggio who understood Steve and brought so much insight, expertise, and compassion to Steve’s care. Thank you to Bayshore nurses Jenn and Kyle who cared so much for Steve and his family, showing us how to care for Steve at home.
Thank you to Melanie, Steve’s sister,who came into our lives when we needed her most. And to our friends who always seemed to show up at the right moment with a hot meal, a bottle of wine, a cup of coffee, muffins, a random pizza, or just a call to check on us. Our hearts are full. Shawna, thank you for looking after all of us. You just seemed to know what needed to be done; your thoughtfulness is a gift. And to Peter who came home to help look after both of his parents, you were my saving grace. You made your dad so happy, so proud. And you showed him such dignity and love in his final days.
Steve was a character. He was sometimes bigger than life. He will be remembered and he will be missed. But most of all he loved and was loved.
Donations can be made in Steve’s memory for an award at a Lakehead Public Schools by calling Michele at 807 625-5168.
