Stephen William Mamber

Stephen W. Mamber (69) Of Alexandria, VA passed away Sunday, December 3, 2023 at Inova Alexandria Hospital. Loving husband to Susan Mamber; cherished father of Samuel Mamber. He will be deeply missed by his extended family, many dear friends and respected colleagues. Steve was diagnosed with leukemia in May 2022 and began treatment immediately. He underwent a successful bone marrow transplant at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in February 2023. The leukemia was in remission, but an array of medical concerns complicated his recovery. He underwent two cardiac repair procedures and fought respiratory infections due to his brand-new immune system. He battled valiantly and survived the bone marrow transplant by 284 days. His strength and perseverance were admired by many, including his doctors. Born in Brooklyn, NY on July 24,1954 to Solomon and Eve (Katz) Mamber, Steve was raised in Oaklyn, NJ. He studied Earth Science and Microbiology at Rutgers University and earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology in 1982. His scientific career began in drug discovery, including researching cancer treatment medications, at Parke-Davis/Warner-Lambert in Michigan, Bristol Myers Squibb in Connecticut, and Beech Tree Labs in Rhode Island. He authored or co-authored many scientific publications which can be viewed on PubMed under SW Mamber. Steve moved to northern Virginia in June 2008 to work as a microbiological data analyst for the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service, applying his expert knowledge in food borne organisms salmonella and listeria. Dedicated to his work and to his food safety colleagues, he continued working full time up to the final days of his life, working remotely from home via computer. He enjoyed nurturing the next generation of scientists, and for several years volunteered to teach a STEM class for 4th and 5th graders at an Arlington public elementary school. Steve and the classroom teacher published about the students’ results replicating iconic experiments like, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?”, the famous “Mentos in a Coca Cola bottle” experiment and measuring the amount of bacteria in samples that students collected on everyday objects. Steve married his wife Susan (Eicher) on August 28, 1988, and they were blessed to welcome their son, Samuel Austin, in 1998. Steve shone at parenting, and his family was the central joy of his life. He enjoyed connecting with cousins and extended family near and far. Judaism was very important to Steve, and he belonged to several Jewish congregations throughout his lifetime, including Agudas Achim in Alexandria, VA. Steve took up rowing crew as a Rutgers University freshman; as a senior in 1976, he earned a Varsity Letter in Lightweight Crew. Rowing became a lifelong pursuit, as he joined recreational crews in Michigan, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. He was proud to row several times in the Head of the Charles Regatta. Until 2022, he rowed with a crew in the Thompson Boating Center in Washington D.C. Steve was an avid fan of Rutgers University sports teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Phillies, and the L.A. Dodgers. His dream was to one day see the RU Scarlet Knights football team win a berth in the Rose Bowl. Steve loved New York pizza “with crust so thin it defies gravity.” He greatly enjoyed bodysurfing on beaches from Rhode Island to South Carolina. Steve was a Star Trek fan from the beginning, and deeply admired his science heroes, Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson. He was a longtime fan of singer-songwriters Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, and Warren Zevon. He was fond of quoting a bit of wisdom from Warren Zevon, who famously said in one of the last interviews of his life that we should try to “Enjoy every sandwich!” —that is, appreciate the simple things in life. Graveside Service will be held at 11:00am on Wednesday December 6 at Agudas Achim Cemetery, 1033 S. Payne St, Alexandria, VA 22314. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at [https://givenow.lls.org/] or to a charity of your choice.

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Stephen William Mamber

July 24, 1954 - December 3, 2023