Obituary of Stephen Allan Sabia

STEPHEN ALLAN SABIA Steve Sabia, 59, passed away on April 4, 2021 with his family by his side. He was born in Portsmouth, Va. to Hubert J. Sabia (USN, Ret) and Adrienne B. Apfel. Steve moved with his family to the Beaches area in 1972 and graduated from Fletcher High School in 1979, where he lettered in football, soccer, and baseball. Steve graduated from Warren Wilson College in North Carolina in 1983 with a degree in Environmental Sciences; he was a member of the soccer and baseball teams. Following college, Steve served in the U.S. Army Reserves for six years. Steve was a good athlete and he loved to play sports and compete at anything. He played in the adult soccer league at the Beaches into his 40’s, was a whiz at pinball, and was an avid golfer at Selva Marina Country Club, where he was known for his speedy pace of play (while doing the crossword puzzle) and wearing Hawaiian shirts. He had a quick wit and a quirky sense of humor. He also had an interest in nature and the environment. He worked for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for 12 years in the wetlands permitting division. Steve was preceded in death by his father Huey. He is survived by his mother Adrienne, his twin sister Stephanie, and brothers Don and Barry (Kirsten), all of Jacksonville and the Beaches. A celebration of life will be held on May 4th at Culhane’s Irish Pub in Atlantic Beach from 4-7 p.m. Condolences and remembrances, along with an option to plant a tree in Steve’s name, may be left at www.eternityfuneralhome.com. The family would like to thank the medical staff at North Florida Cancer Specialists, and Community Hospice & Palliative Care of Jacksonville for their care and compassion provided during his illness.