Wm. Steven Arrigoitia passed away on April 17, 2025, at the age of 67.
Born on January 1, 1958, in Miami, Florida, he was the cherished son of the late Jose William and Marchia (nee Scott) Arrigoitia.
Steven was a lifelong learner and had many passions and careers over his lifetime.In his early twenties, he was a ballroom dance instructor for Arthur Murray Studios (Bay Ridge, NY). Later he moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where he trained horses and taught riding lessons. Upon returning to New Jersey, Steven enrolled in William Paterson University where he studied psychology and exercise science. There he met his future wife, Felicia, whom he married in 1993. He became a personal trainer and later was the Assistant Director of the Health Club at the JCC on the Palisades. After 5 years, he left that position to open his own personal training business which he had for 10+ years. He then returned to university to pursue an education degree and followed that with a Masters in Special Education.
A devoted teacher at Lyndhurst Middle School for 14 years, Steven inspired countless students throughout his career as a Theatre and English teacher. He loved dance, and was a well-respected choreographer and musical director for the school, where his passion for the performing arts came alive. He also originated the Fall Play in 2021. His students were truly important to him; he dedicated his life to nurturing their talents and instilling in them a love for literature and creativity.
In his 12 years as director his productions received countless nominations from the Montclair Foxy Awards and the National Youth Arts awards, as well as winning Outstanding Ensemble (The Drowsy Chaperone, 2017, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2022), Choreography (Seussical, 2023), and Dance Ensemble (Sister Act, 2024). In 2024, he was awarded the Jo Ann Fox Award for “a theatre teacher who is an inspiration to their students, whose passion for theater is infectious, and who creates a community, a loving extended family in their school in the process of producing high quality productions.”
He also enjoyed being an evaluator for the Papermill Playhouse Rising Star Awards and Metropolitan High School Theatre Awards, which he did for several years. During the summers he continued working with students at Ramapo Country Day Camp, where he was the dirt track supervisor for 18 years.
He was the proud father of Christian and Esther Arrigoitia. They were his heart and joy. He was also the cherished son-in-law of Spiros and Edith Grammenos.
His memory will forever dance in the hearts of those he inspired and those who loved him.
Those who knew Steven well, knew he wouldn't want a somber funeral, so our festive celebration of life to honor Steven will be held on Sunday, April 27 from 2-6 PM at Stellato Funeral Home, 425 Ridge Rd, Lyndhurst, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor through St Jude Children's Research Hospital by following this link:
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