MAILMAN, Stephen Wilfred Blair
With great sorrow and bittersweet gratitude, the Grant, Mailman and Byrne families announce the passing of our beloved Stephen Wilfred Blair Mailman (July 24th, 1991 - April 13th, 2024).
After a long and courageous battle with cancer, at the young age of 32, he passed peacefully on his own terms at home with his immediate family and beloved cats beside him.
Born in Glace Bay, Stephen graduated from Glace Bay High School and went on to graduate from the Atlantic Police Academy, where he was selected as Team Captain because ofhis leadership skills.
Later, he was hired as the first employee of Sentry Security & Investigations and soon became Operations Manager. He was a faithful and well-loved employee. His employers were like a second family to him. Even after he stopped working there due to his illness, he was still supporting them from the sidelines pushing them forward in his own way.
In true Cape Breton fashion, his colleagues and employers rallied behind him sponsoring fundraisers and other support. Some of the words they use to describe him are: helpful, a positive role model, and a good friend who always had an infectious smile. His sense of humor prevailed until his final moments.
As a child he was quite the trickster, giving his family and friends endless moments of laughter and sometimes bedlam. He enjoyed the outdoors as a child and loved to zoom around town on his bike looking for mischief.
He has always been a protective big brother and friend to his sibling Becca. Wherever he went, Steve carried a token of that friendship in the form of a tattoo drawn by his sibling. These two were as close as siblings can be.
Steve thought the world of his grandfather, Blair Grant. There are some funny stories of fly-fishing trips with his grandfather, uncle Calvin Grant and cousin Tyler Grant. However, only the fish can tell what happens on fishing trips!
Steve’s favorite hobbies included gaming online and game nights with his friends. Airsoft with “The Goon Platoon” was another that brought lots of laughs.
He had been blessed with many loyal and selfless friends who will tell you that he was one of a kind. Steve would do anything to stand up for himself or his friends or family, if he felt someone was being disingenuous.
His passion for the people he loved was definitely a huge part of who Steve was. His selflessness, and how proud he was of everyone during even the smallest achievements in their lives. Even in his worst moments, Steve’s sense of humour and his way of always making light of the situation carried everyone through such a hard time.
Steve is survived by his wife, Erica Byrne; fur babies, Pebbles, Sundae and Ruby, who brought Steve so much joy. His mother, Donna Mailman (Grant); his father, Darrell Mailman (Shea Cameron); mother-in-law, Raylene Hatcher; father-in-law, Michael Byrne; and his sibling, Becca Mailman (Brandon Crawford).
He is also survived by his grandmothers, Gloria (Tutty) Grant and Marjorie Fields.
Steve was lucky to have many aunts, uncles and cousins and other extended family members who rallied around him and his family during this time. When together, there was always unending laughter. His uncle Calvin (Ernestine) Grant has been an unending support system for the family. He is also survived by his aunt Karleen Grant (Jonathan) Booth.
He is predeceased by William Blair Grant (Grandfather), Precious Paddi Grant (cousin).
A special thanks to Steve and Erica’s closest friends who went above and beyond in making their lives easier during such a difficult time.
We would also like to thank Dr. Carol Boutlier, Dr. Daniel French, Dr. Stephanie Lapierre, Dr. Ev Fuller, and the staff of 4D of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital for their dedication and compassion.
A Funeral Service will be held Friday, April 19th at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Glace Bay, 8Marconi Street.
To honor Steve’s love of animals, donations may be made to the S.P.C.A. or the CapeBreton Cancer Center.
CraigElachie(StandFast)dearSteve,weloveandmissyou!