Stephen Engel

Stephen Engel, 76 of Hanahan, SC, passed away on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

He was born April 27, 1947 in Bronx, NY to Stephen Engel, Sr. and Lillian Costa Engel.

Steve grew up in Seaford, Long Island, NY, and graduated from General Douglas MacArthur High School in Wantagh, NY. He was a Dean's List student at Siena College in Loudonville, NY, and earned a B.A. in History. While at Siena, he was a three-year starter in both football and lacrosse. In football he was the career leader in pass receptions. In lacrosse, as a senior, he was the team co-MVP, selected first team all conference and was named an Outstanding College Athlete of America. At commencement, he was commissioned an officer in the Army. He served in Germany and Vietnam, ultimately as an artillery battery commander with the 101st Airborne Division.

Returning home, he married his high school sweetheart, Kathy Reilly. He worked in sales in NY for the Procter and Gamble Company. Moving to Flanders, NJ and earning an M.B.A. in Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University, he held positions in marketing of increasing responsibility with Beecham Inc., Johnson and Johnson, Plumrose, and Marcal Paper where he was in charge of all corporate marketing. He then started a marketing and sales promotion company which he ran for 20 years.

Steve was greatly involved with youth athletics coaching football, lacrosse and basketball. He was mostly involved with youth track and field. He headed and was head coach of the Mount Olive, NJ junior track and field program for many years and started the Mount Olive junior cross country program and helped found the Morris County, NJ junior cross country program. 

He and Kathy retired in 2006 and moved to Hanahan. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Kathy and daughter Christine Engel (JJ Bristow) and son, William "Bill" Engel.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 3, 2023, one hour before the service, from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home West Ashley. The funeral service will be at 11:00 AM at the funeral home. Entombment will follow at Live Oak Memorial Gardens, Charleston, South Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, may we suggest you donate in Steve's name to your local recreational or youth cross country/ track and field program. The one he was most passionate about was the one in Mt. Olive, NJ. Mount Olive Junior Athletic Club, 8 Belle Court, Budd Lake, NJ 07828. 

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com.