Steven M. Cronin, 72, of Harvard, MA, passed away peacefully on 26 March 2026 at Mass General Hospital after a long, 16-year battle with cancer.

Steven was born in Pittsfield, MA, to Richard and Jean Cronin. He was born on 1 June 1953 and grew up in Harvard, Massachusetts. He attended the Harvard Public Schools and ultimately graduated from Lawrence Academy in 1972. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Wildlife Biology from UMass Amherst in 1976 and a Master of Science in Applied Management from Lesley College in 1990. Steven was commissioned as an officer in the Army in September 1976 and served proudly for 20 years, retiring as a Major in 1996. After retiring from the Army, Steven pursued his second career teaching 4th-grade and 5th-grade math and science at the Groton Public Schools. He taught for 16 years and retired in 2014.

He met the love of his life, Nancy, at their co-ed fraternity (ΣAM) at UMass and married in April 1977. His Army career took them from Hawaii to Germany, with stops in Texas and Massachusetts in between. While stationed in Germany, and for all the years after, Steven and Nancy traveled the world with their two daughters.

Steven was best known as an Army Veteran, an outdoorsman, an adventurer, a Boy Scout, an honorary Girl Scout, a woodworker, an avid traveler, a friend, and a helping hand to all who needed him. Most of all, he was a devoted family man with many titles: husband, father, Opa (grandfather), son, brother, and uncle. Steven was an active resident in Harvard, volunteering to help with elections, serving as a member of the War Monument Restoration Committee, and most notably, coordinating the Memorial Day parade, placing flags, and planting geraniums.

Steven is survived by his beloved wife, Nancy; daughters, Diane and Patricia, and their husbands, Allan and Marc, respectively; four grandchildren, Delaney, Savannah, Aiden, and Riley; two sisters, Cathy and Debra; and niece, Breanna and her family.

The family is endlessly grateful for the wonderful care Steven received from his oncology, palliative care, and hospice teams at Mass General Hospital and Mass Eye and Ear.

Honoring Steven’s wishes, the family will hold a private funeral service at Bellevue Cemetery. Finally, he wants to be sure those who knew and loved him celebrate his life and not mourn his death.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to cancer research or a deserving charity. 

Arrangements under the care of Badger Funeral Home, 347 King Street, Littleton, MA 01460 978-486-3709 www.badgerfuneral.com