Esteban Turiel

Esteban "Steve" Turiel passed away on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. Steve was born on September 24 1925 to the late Tomas Turiel and Maria Carmen Casas. On November 13, 1943, at the age of 18, Steve dropped out of High School and joined the Seabees. After five months of training spent in Williamsburg, Virginia; he was shipped to the south Pacific. He served in Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, and Panama. He received the Victory Medal, American Theater Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. After his discharge, he completed schooling and graduated from Mont Pleasant High School in 1946. He later joined the Naval Reserves. On November 16, 1946 he married his high school sweetheart Irene "Ella" Harran. He remained in Schenectady and worked for 38 years in the Test Department of G.E. Gas Turbine until retirement in 1988. He was a member of St. Gabriel's Church for 56 years, and was affiliated with the G.E. Quarter Century Club, as well as the Rotterdam Seniors. Steve and Irene loved to dance and were members of 2 dance clubs for over 42 years. Steve enjoyed reading books by Walter Isaacson, going to operas, the Albany Symphony, researching Irish and Spanish genealogy, going to science museums and planetaria, and he especially loved gardening in the summertime. For more than 20 years, he and his family spent every Sunday in the summer at the Tanglewood Music Center. He traveled to Europe, the Caribbean, the Western United States, Mexico, and Hawaii. Above all, Steve cherished the time he spent with his family and friends. Steve is survived by his loving wife Irene Turiel, to whom he was married to for 72 years. He is also survived by his devoted son, Thomas Turiel. Steve’s family would like to send a special thank you to the aides, nurses, and physical therapists of the Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Home that assisted in Steve’s well being. Calling hours will be held on Monday, November 19, from 10:00 to 11:00am at DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home, 1605 Helderberg Ave. Schenectady, NY 12306 with a funeral mass taking place at 11:30am at St. Gabriel's Church. Burial will follow at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery.