Robert Steven Faulkner

He spent his early years in Fancy Farm, Kentucky, where he and his brothers, Tom and David, and sisters, Carol (Swim) and Judy (Hayden), lived in a modest home in the Catholic faith-based community. He moved with the family to California in 1962 and attended Santa Anna Valley High School. At this time, Steve discovered what would become his lifelong passion for music. He became a very proficient pianist and organ player, playing at local gatherings and events with various bands in Southern California.After graduating high school in 1966, he began playing music full-time, traveling all over the US and internationally with the USO. He returned to Fancy Farm in 1982, where he met Cynthia Rose Carrico, and the couple married on April 29th, 1983. Soon after, they returned to California, where he began a career with IBM and welcomed two sons: Weston in 1983 and Paul in 1985. With opportunities for advancement at IBM, the family moved to Chatham, IL, where they welcomed their third son, Lowell, in 1990. After transfers to St. Louis and Chicago, they purchased a home in Woodstock, GA, outside of Atlanta. When he retired from IBM in 2014, Steve returned to music, playing regular gigs with his sons at local venues and collaborating with musicians and friends from his home-based recording studio.

He loved his dogs and feeding the deer and turkeys that visited him daily in his backyard. He adored his five grandchildren, Will, Ariana, Alayna, Reed, and Evelyn. His favorite pastime was sitting on the back deck with a cold beverage while talking to the love of his life, his wife, Cindy.

Steve passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, December 4th, 2024, surrounded by the things he cherished most: his family and music.

A memorial service with burial services will be held in Fancy Farm, KY, on March 14, 2025, at 4 p.m. at St. Jerome Catholic Church. A Great Celebration of his life will be held at the Parish Center following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Steve’s memory can be made to the Giveback Foundation. All proceeds will support greater access to musical equipment in the local community.