The Irvington community has lost a kind and generous neighbor, and the Nicewanger family has lost their heart. Stephen Nicewanger, 71, passed away on December 28, 2021, at IU Methodist Hospital, after a long battle with congestive heart failure and complications from diabetes and kidney disease.
Steve was very active in the Irvington community. He was on the Irvington Community Council for many years (served as President one term) and on the board for the Historic Benton House. He volunteered to work the polls often, and was president of the Warren Township Democrat Club for 6 years and helped turn the precinct blue. Steve was Santa Claus for many years, volunteering for events such as the Benton House Holiday Bazaar and at the Ronald McDonald House Christmas party. His grandchildren are proud that he is Santa (every Papaw has to have a job).
Steve was a lifelong eastsider, atttending school #71, graduating from Arlington High School in 1969. He graduated from IUPUI in 1980 with a degree in English, history and political science. He followed that up with Masters work in Library Science. He was a librarian, working for the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library for over 20 years at Central, East Washington, Spades Park, Fountain Square, and on the bookmobile. Before retirement, he worked for the Indiana State Health Department as the Death Registrar for the state of Indiana.
Steve married his wife, Mary Paula, in 1971 at Lawrence United Methodist Church. They were able to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this summer, with their immediate family at a cabin at Brown County State Park. (Luckily, they had had a big celebration, with all of their friends and family, for their 40th anniversary, long before the pandemic made big events risky.) After retirement, Steve wrote (up until the end of October this year) for the Weekly View Community newspaper (a.k.a. the Eastside Voice) as the Sports columnist, food critic, and often wrote the pop culture column Boomerang. He was a big sports fan, an expert on the Indy 500, and especially liked football. He grew up as a Chicago Bears fan, and became a Colts fan when they moved here in 1984.
Steve was a devoted father and grandfather. He was known to be kind, funny, and an expert on movie trivia, pop culture, and history. He passed his love of classic movies on to his children. Appropriate to his Irvington home, he loved Halloween. He loved decorating for Halloween, dressing up in costumes, and hosting Halloween parties. He made a fantastic Henry the 8th. He also did some acting, appearing in several independent films and a stage play with his daughter.
Steve is survived by his wife Mary Paula (Collins) Nicewanger, daughter Mary Kuhns, son Chris Nicewanger, sisters Janet (Jim) Carter and Robin Nicewanger, nieces Amy (Erik) Parker and Andrea (Mike) Link, aunt Mary Tomlinson, in-laws Gail and Mark Collins, and two grandchildren. Steve is proceeded in death by his parents, Robert (Bob) and Betty (Newbold) Nicewanger.
The celebration of Steve’s life has been postponed, but will take place at Oakley-Hammond in Irvington. Steve’s ashes will be interned at Washington Park cemetery, near his parents, at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Heart Association or the Weekly View Community Newspaper, at 195 N Shortridge Rd Ste D, Indianapolis, IN 46219.
The Nicewanger family wants to thank all those that sent well wishes on Facebook to Steve – Mary read them to her Dad Christmas Day (over 150) and to all the messages of sympathy – we are overwhelmed. Also special thanks to Joe Hammond at Oakley/Hammond Funeral Home for his compassionate care through all this. (Paula Nicewanger will be writing a series of articles about Steve in the next few weeks.)
