William Steven Lemasters
William Steven Lemasters
1938 – 2025
William Steven “Steve” Lemasters, 87, of Cary, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on November 7, 2025. He was surrounded by the love of his family and the comfort of a life well-lived.
Born in Citra, Florida in 1938, Steve grew up on his family’s orange grove, where his lifelong love of gardening first took root. From citrus trees in his youth to flower beds and vegetable gardens in every home he lived in, his gardens were a living reflection of his patience and dedication.
He earned his undergraduate degree in engineering from Georgia Tech and a master’s degree at the University of Florida. His early career took him to NASA, where he contributed to the pioneering spirit of American space exploration. He later spent nearly 30 years as an Industrial Engineer at Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York, where his problem-solving and management skills, as well as his kindness and empathy, left a lasting mark.
Soon after moving to Rochester in the 1960s, Steve opened a before-its-time Southern BBQ restaurant—an endeavor that, while ultimately short-lived, reflected his entrepreneurial spirit and deep love of good food.
After retiring in 1995, Steve and his wife, Aloma, relocated to North Carolina, settling on the shores of Lake Norman. There, they found joy in the pleasures of lake life—delighting in hosting friends, children and grandchildren, cruising on their pontoon boat, and enjoying the serenity of the water.
A man of many talents, Steve had a passion for building and flying model airplanes, and he never met a home project he couldn’t tackle, personally building a basement rec room in one home to adding a bedroom and bathroom in another. In his later years, Steve turned his attention to writing, researching and self-publishing books about his family’s history and the legacy of the orange groves that shaped his early life in Florida. His hands were rarely still, and his mind was always at work.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 47 years, Aloma, his three daughters from his first marriage to Adrienne Dawson, Margaret (Mike) Lively, Leslie (Andy) Cowen and Mary Scheuermann, stepdaughter Jennifer Neisner (Peter Balint-Kurti), seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother, John Lemasters, III and his stepson, Robert Neisner. Steve’s legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the gardens he grew, and the family he cherished.
A Celebration of Life will be held on January 16 at 11:00 a.m. at Mother Teresa Catholic Church in Cary, NC.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina in his memory.