Obituary of Stephen Novicky

Stephen Mark Novicky, aka Groovy Steve and Uncle Fuzzy to friends and family, and Daddio to his son, Elijah, passed away on the evening of Wednesday, December 12th due to heart complications after many years of battling various heart problems. Though physically weak, his heart was strong with love and made of gold, or more likely a big beautifully complex burly piece of Birdseye maple. Anyone he came in contact with could instantly feel it. He was calm, loving, patient, caring, thoughtful, and loved to give heart to heart hugs. He held family and friends close, and lived to share musical experiences, laughs, stories, and art with them. He loved camping, hiking, riding his bike, and fishing, and spent as many nights as he could watching his son, Elijah, perform with his band and best friends. He supported his son’s music and passions endlessly, and fueled Elijah’s musical discoveries since a young age. Pacemaker and defibrillator aside, if someone needed anything, whether it be loading gear, fixing a roof, or shoveling snow, he was the first to jump at the opportunity to lend a helping hand. 

By trade, Groovy was a gifted carpenter, but at his core he was an artist, adventurer, and teacher, yet always a student of life. His deep passion, love, and knowledge of wood and nature fueled his many creations. Wooden guitar pics, earrings made out of nuts, necklaces, wooden rings, the list was ever evolving. He was in a constant state of learning and creating. A camping or fishing trip wasn’t merely a trip, nor was a walk in the backyard as simple as getting a breath of fresh air. It was a constant exploration of the small details that made up the beautiful and complex world around us. How a tree reflected off of a lake in perfect symmetry to create some sort of space spider, how the grain in a piece of wood, when cut at a very specific angle, could create a geometrically complex pattern when matched with other cuts from the same log. What he couldn’t capture in wood, he would capture with his camera. Any opportunity was the perfect opportunity to take a photo. He knew every spot to take the perfect picture of a sunset, and the exact time he had to be there. No cloud or sunset, no tree frog or bird, no burl or river stone or flower, and especially no four leaf clover went unnoticed, and he could not wait to share his latest discovery, creation, or set of pictures with the ones he loved, or even a stranger (which meant a new friend). In sharing these creations and natural marvels, you could see his passion for life, and he had a life filled with love and light.