David passed away on March 11, 2017 at age 80 in Irvine, California, close to his new home in Corona del Mar, California. He had recently moved from Sebastopol, CA., where he had resided for 16 years. David was born October 24, 1936 to the late Alva E. Steadman and Martha Cooke Steadman in Honolulu, Hawaii where his New England ancestors landed as Congregational missionaries in the 1800's. He was married to the late Kathleen Reilly Steadman for 45 years. David is survived by his Life Partner of many years, Bill Cote of Corona del Mar, CA., his son Alex (Gari), his daughter, Kate (Warren), his two brothers John (Alison) and Richard (Jane) both formerly of Honolulu and Punahou graduates and four grandchildren... After graduating from Punahou School in Honolulu, David left Hawaii in 1954 to attend Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. He thereafter attended Harvard College, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in English. He earned an M.A. in Education from Harvard University, an M.A. in Art History from the University of California, Berkeley, a PhD in Art History from Princeton University and a master's degree in Theological Studies from Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) in Berkeley, California. In 1970, David joined the staff of the Frick Collection in New York City as a lecturer and later headed the Art Museum at Princeton until 1973. He went on to become the director of the Galleries of the Claremont Colleges in Claremont, CA., and associate professor at Pomona College from 1974-80. He served as a research curator for the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, CA., and, until his passing, was a trustee and consultant there from 1996. In 1980 he became the Director of the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA. After nearly 10 years as the Director of the Chrysler Museum, the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) in Toledo, OH., named David its Director for nearly 10 years until 1999 when he decided to retire and pursue a formal education in religion to meld the art world with the spiritual world, which held significant interest for him. David enrolled at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), never intending to be ordained, but was quoted as saying he "was being called in a certain way". He graduated from CDSP in 2002 and was thereafter ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Sebastopol, CA., in 2004, where he served until his retirement in 2010. David will be especially remembered for his kind and gentle manner, quick wit, intelligence, infectious smile and an ability to listen and respond, always with aplomb. He loved and was passionate about classical music (especially Handel), live theater (particularly Broadway shows in NYC), travel, art museums everywhere (notably the Honolulu Museum of Art founded by David's grandmother, Anna Rice Cooke, in 1922, the Frick and the Norton Simon), spiritual art, reading, architecture, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Stephen's Church, and was becoming a true aficionado of jazz music in his later years. A Celebration of David's Life will be held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 500 Robinson Road, Sebastopol, CA., at 10:30 AM on May 13, 2017, immediately followed by interment at Sebastopol Memorial Lawn, 7951 Bodega Avenue in Sebastopol. All are welcome. Following interment, a reception will be held honoring David at St. Stephen's Parish Hall. The family asks that donations to St. Stephen's Church be made in David Steadman's name.
David passed away on March 11, 2017 at age 80 in Irvine, California, close to his new home in Corona del Mar, California. He had recently moved from Sebastopol, CA., where he had resided for 16 years. David was born October 24, 1936 to the late Alva E. Steadman and Martha Cooke Steadman in Honolulu, Hawaii where his New England ancestors landed as Congregational missionaries in the 1800's. He was married to the late Kathleen Reilly Steadman for 45 years. David is survived by his Life Partner of many years, Bill Cote of Corona del Mar, CA., his son Alex (Gari), his daughter, Kate (Warren), his two brothers John (Alison) and Richard (Jane) both formerly of Honolulu and Punahou graduates and four grandchildren... After graduating from Punahou School in Honolulu, David left Hawaii in 1954 to attend Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. He thereafter attended Harvard College, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in English. He earned an M.A. in Education from Harvard University, an M.A. in Art History from the University of California, Berkeley, a PhD in Art History from Princeton University and a master's degree in Theological Studies from Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) in Berkeley, California. In 1970, David joined the staff of the Frick Collection in New York City as a lecturer and later headed the Art Museum at Princeton until 1973. He went on to become the director of the Galleries of the Claremont Colleges in Claremont, CA., and associate professor at Pomona College from 1974-80. He served as a research curator for the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, CA., and, until his passing, was a trustee and consultant there from 1996. In 1980 he became the Director of the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA. After nearly 10 years as the Director of the Chrysler Museum, the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) in Toledo, OH., named David its Director for nearly 10 years until 1999 when he decided to retire and pursue a formal education in religion to meld the art world with the spiritual world, which held significant interest for him. David enrolled at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), never intending to be ordained, but was quoted as saying he "was being called in a certain way". He graduated from CDSP in 2002 and was thereafter ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Sebastopol, CA., in 2004, where he served until his retirement in 2010. David will be especially remembered for his kind and gentle manner, quick wit, intelligence, infectious smile and an ability to listen and respond, always with aplomb. He loved and was passionate about classical music (especially Handel), live theater (particularly Broadway shows in NYC), travel, art museums everywhere (notably the Honolulu Museum of Art founded by David's grandmother, Anna Rice Cooke, in 1922, the Frick and the Norton Simon), spiritual art, reading, architecture, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Stephen's Church, and was becoming a true aficionado of jazz music in his later years. A Celebration of David's Life will be held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 500 Robinson Road, Sebastopol, CA., at 10:30 AM on May 13, 2017, immediately followed by interment at Sebastopol Memorial Lawn, 7951 Bodega Avenue in Sebastopol. All are welcome. Following interment, a reception will be held honoring David at St. Stephen's Parish Hall. The family asks that donations to St. Stephen's Church be made in David Steadman's name.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
