Steven "Steve" Henry Spicer

Steven Henry “Steve” Spicer, 71, died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday morning, September 9, 2026. A loved father, husband, grandfather, brother, and – most importantly – a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, Steve brought humor, curiosity, tenacity, and more than a little wackiness into everyone’s lives.

Steve was born on March 14, 1955, in Geneva, Illinois, to Robert Spicer and Jean Spicer (née Doemland). He was the fourth of five children, growing up with older brothers Robert, David, and Phillip, and younger sister Laurel. After his mother passed when he was still a young boy, his father married Virginia “Gini”(née Payne), who stepped in as a stepmother. Steve spent his early childhood playing pranks with his brothers in the woods around Wheaton, Illinois, before moving to Barrington at the age of 12. There he made lifelong friends that stayed in contact throughout his life.

Despite living with Lupus since his diagnosis at 19-years-old, Steve was known for his lighthearted spirit. He was the life of the room, always ready with a (dad) joke, an enthusiastic (and completely incongruous) “howdy,” or a frustrated exclamation of “underpants in my shorts” – one of his more aggressive substitutes for regular swears.

His love of absurd humor extended from SpongeBob SquarePants to CDs of fart sounds purchased expressly for entertainment in the car. Of course, he had excellent taste in music, too (and an impressive vinyl collection and entertainment system); he just believed there was room for both!

Steve graduated from SIU with a major in Photography and a minor in Cinema. Photography was one of Steve’s great lifelong passions. His work appeared in several worldwide advertising campaigns as well as the World Book, and he loved exploring new photography and video technology. He filmed just about everything, including roller-coaster rides and the occasional accidental recording of the ground – affectionately called “my-dog-Bob” shots. His camera captured both the moments he intended to preserve and a few nobody had planned on.

Steve followed the Chicago Cubs with unwavering devotion, watching or listening to every game he could and knowing the players and their statistics by heart. Baseball was a source of endless discussion and relentless loyalty.

His family will also remember the smaller things that made him unmistakably Steve: his extraordinary consumption of extra-crunchy JIF peanut butter and Ritz crackers, his preference for Oreos over chocolate chip cookies, and his conviction that almost any dish could use more pepper. His Christmas pancakes were also legendary.

Steve is survived by his wife, Karen Spicer (née Kerwin); his daughters, Kelly Spicer (with her partner Marcos Hernandez) and Shannon Spicer (with her husband, James Ludlow); his grandson, Casper Ludlow (and granddaughter on the way!); his brothers, Robert and David; and his sister, Laurie (Podgorski).

He leaves his family with a lifetime of photographs, laughter, stories, and countless everyday reminders of the man they loved: a Cubs game on the radio, a plate of Christmas pancakes as big as your head (that will never quite live up to his), or a cheerful “howdy” will always bring him close to mind.

A celebration of Steve’s life will be held around his birthday, March 14, 2027, at the Community Church of Barrington, 407 S. Grove Ave. Barrington, IL 60010. Additional details will be shared when arrangements are finalized. We can all tell our stories and memories. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Lupus Foundation of America, https://www.lupus.org/