Stephen Dale Showfety, born March 10, 1947, passed away peacefully at home on October 31, 2019, following a courageous battle with glioblastoma. A civic leader, businessman, father, brother, and friend to many, Steve earned the respect, love, and affection from his community. He loved Greensboro and the Triad and worked tirelessly to make it a better place to live and work. He demonstrated a strong work ethic every day, whether in his leadership capacity at Koury Corporation or in one of a myriad of volunteer positions. He served three terms as Treasurer of the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association and past Chairman of the Commercial and Industrial Division. He was a 1982 graduate of Leadership Greensboro and served on the Boards of the UNC-G Human Environmental Sciences Foundation, the Greensboro Merchants Association, the Greensboro Area Chamber of Commerce and the Central North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. For many years Steve was a board member or Chairman of the Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Greensboro Sports Commission, the YMCA of Greensboro, the Steering Committee of The Forward Greensboro Economic Development Organization and the Triad Real Estate Building Industry Coalition. He was a past President and Chairman of the Greensboro Sports Council and has served as a Board member of the North Carolina Chamber and the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance and was a long-term member of the Guilford Technical Community College Foundation Board. Additionally, he served as a member of the Piedmont Triad Leadership Group and was the Chairman of the Board of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority.
Steve was a 1970 Graduate of East Carolina University and served six years as an officer of the East Carolina University Board of Visitors. He was an eight-year member of the Board of Trustees where he served as an officer for six years and Chairman for two. Most recently he served as a member of the Board of the ECU Foundation. Steve was the recipient of the 2008 ECU Distinguished Service Award and 2018 Advocacy Award. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association and the Greater Greensboro Builders Association. The Triad Business Journal repeatedly identified him as one of the area’s “Most Influential People” while Business North Carolina has listed him among its “Power 100”.
The culmination of his 41 years of service to Koury Corporation and the Greensboro community was recognized in September, 2019 as the recipient of the Stanley Frank Economic and Workforce Development Award by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, and most notably, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state’s highest honor, presented by Governor Roy Cooper, reserved for persons who have made significant contributions to their state and communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.
Despite a busy professional life, Steve was a devoted family man. He encouraged all those he loved to reach for the stars and by his own example he showed the value of hard work and commitment and the importance of education. Kindness, humor, humbleness, faith, generosity, and respect were also among his values and it was important to him to instill these traits into his children and grandchildren. He leaves behind his son, Drew Showfety of Charleston, SC and his two children Matt and Jenna Showfety, and daughter, Angela Markowski (Rick) of Atlanta, GA and her two children Beck and Foster Naegele. He will also be mourned by his sisters, Kathy Spivey (Bill) of High Point, and Lori Brix of Horseshoe Bay, Texas, along with many cousins, in-laws, nieces, and nephews as well as his longtime partner Pat Copeland of Greensboro and her children Patrick Young and Annie Combs (Richard) and their two children Charlie and Caroline. He was preceded in death by his parents, William K and Joan G Showfety.
The family would like to express their gratitude to his medical team at Cone Health, the staff at Hospice of Greensboro, and to Lillie Lindsey for her compassionate and competent care in Steve’s final days at home.
A memorial mass will be held at 11 am, Friday, November 8, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 2203 West Market Street followed by a reception at Grandover Resort. The family will receive friends Thursday, November 7, from 6-8 p.m., at Hanes Lineberry North Elm Chapel, 515 North Elm Street.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the Cone Health Cancer at Wesley Long, 2400 West Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27403, Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27405 or Christopher M. Dyba, ECU Foundation, 2200 South Charles Boulevard, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, in Steve’s memory.
Online condolences may offered by visiting www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com.
