Steven Canavis

Steven George Canavis died on May 12, 2025 at home. He was born in 1947 in Tanta, Egypt. Although Egypt was the country where he was born, Steve was thoroughly Greek. Both sets of grandparents were from islands in Greece and moved to Egypt as young people. Steve's parents were also born in Egypt and Steve grew up in Tanta. He lived in a Greek neighborhood, went to church at the local Greek Orthodox Church, and went to a Greek elementary school. Steve would spend summers in Marsa Matruh on Egypt's Mediterranean coast with his maternal grandparents. Daily early morning walks to the port with his "pappou" to meet up with his grandfather's friends developed Steve's love for backgammon. Steve did well in grade school and went to a Greek boarding school in Cairo. After graduation, Steve went to university in Cairo until his family moved to Greece in the 1960s. There he obtained a chemical engineering degree with honors. He first worked in Thessaloniki and later in Rome for Nalco Italy. Nalco sent him to work in Saudi Arabia and then brought him to Oak Brook and encouraged him to become an American citizen which he did. Steve was proud to be an American and could not understand why everyone did not vote. Nalco sent Steve all around the world: Saudi Arabia, the United States, Singapore. He contributed to Nalco's foundation in Korea and was the President of Nalco Korea during its first four years of operations. After retirement in the 1990s, he never had a boring moment. Steve continued to travel and obtained a Master Gardener certificate and was good at making flowers and plants bloom and grow. He is survived by Mark Bates and several relatives in Greece, United States, Canada and Australia. A private memorial service has benn planned. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Steven's name may be made to the charity of your choice.