Pastor Stephen Hluchy, a 45-year resident of Skaneateles, died Sunday, May 29, 2022, surrounded by his daughters after a long struggle with cancer. He lived in the St John’s community in Rochester, N.Y., for the past nine years.
Steve was born in 1928 in Jamesburg, NJ, the son of the late John and Anna (Viskup) Hluchy. He spent his childhood years in New York City and Robbinsville, NJ. After graduating Allentown High School, he attended Wagner College in New York City where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1954. He married his wife Olga Nahlik in 1954 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City. He was ordained there five years later in 1959 upon his graduation from Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary.
For his first call, he served a bilingual Slovak/English ministry to three sister parishes in Pennsylvania for nearly a decade: Saint Matthews Lutheran Church in Mount Carmel, Holy Emmanuel Slovak Lutheran Church in Mahanoy City, and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Saint Clair, sometimes officiating six services each week. He answered a call to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Skaneateles, where he served for the next 25 years until his retirement in 1992. During his years in Skaneateles, he served as fire department chaplain and as a member of the Clergy Association of Skaneateles and the Narcotics Council. He was also on the committee for the Caring Coalition which became the Hospice of Central New York. After retirement, he was a visiting minister for St. Stephens Lutheran Church in Syracuse, where he cared for the elderly, sick and homebound. He was honored with the title of Pastor Emeritus at Holy Trinity in 1995. Steve was beloved by his parishioners and known by his colleagues as a pastor of integrity and moral character and for his caring ministry. He recently celebrated his 63rd anniversary of ordination.
His passion for gardening began in his youth at his parents’ farm in New Jersey. He took great pride in his gardens and plant collection in Skaneateles and continued this interest in caring for his smaller outdoor beds and indoor plants in Rochester. He enjoyed long rides in the countryside and picking fruits and vegetables in the summer. He loved classical music, a passion he instilled in his daughters; he had an excellent singing voice which he used when chanting the Slovak liturgy during his ministry. He was an avid reader particularly of history, enjoyed cooking, was an involved and loving father to his three daughters and a wonderful grandfather to his two grandsons, the lights of his life.
He was predeceased by his wife, Olga (Nahlik) of 62 years; his parents; his brother, John Hluchy; sister, Anna; and brother-in-law, John Pavlovich. He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Agati; his three daughters, Carol Carson (Bill), Michele Hluchy (Larry Deis) and Stefanie Hluchy (Francisco Delgado); grandsons, William Carson (Kaitlin) and Alexander Carson (Catharine); and great-granddaughter, Mae.
The family wishes to thank the excellent team of caregivers who helped Steve during his final years. A Memorial Service will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Skaneateles this summer. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Skaneateles. To share a memory of Steve or send a condolence to the family visit anthonychapels.com.
