Steve Oakland, 75, of Colchester, Vt., died at home on May 20, 2026, after living with esophageal cancer for more than five years.
Steve was born on January 26, 1951, in Canton, S.D., the fourth of five sons of Lewis and Gladys (Lewis) Oakland. The family lived on a farm at Worthing, S.D., and Steve attended a one-room school through the third grade. The Oaklands then moved to Canton, where Steve flourished academically and musically. He was a four-year All-State Band member (first trombone at least twice) and valedictorian of his high school class.
Steve earned BS and MS degrees in electrical engineering at South Dakota State University in Brookings. He received his PhD on May 24, 1980, from Iowa State University, Ames, with a co-major in biomedical and electrical engineering. The same day, he married Ames native Sue Deppe. They commuted between Rochester, Minn., and Iowa City for several years, then moved to Vermont after Sue’s medical school graduation in 1983. Since 1997, they have lived on the shore of Lake Champlain.
Except for a year teaching computer science at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, Steve spent his entire career at IBM, first in Rochester, Minn., then in Essex Junction, Vt. Among other projects, he worked on voice recognition and developing and testing microchips. During his career he filed about 40 patents and received several awards, including an IBM corporate award in collaboration with colleagues.
From an early age, Steve was happy when playing piano, and he shared his gifts on keyboard and voice throughout his life. He was organist for the weddings of three of his brothers. At First United Methodist Church in Burlington, he and Sue sang and played in choir, praise band and countless ensembles, including a vocal quartet, the Psalter Shakers. Under director Betty Burbank, these groups traveled regionally to share music with small churches and other groups. Steve substituted on piano and organ and, for a time, directed the choir and handbell choir. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played and recorded a five-part handbell piece for Advent (youtu.be/xn3P1D6wRm8?t=768). He was church treasurer and served on the District Committee on Ministry and in other roles. Steve and Sue were active in the Walk to Emmaus community as musicians and leaders, and Steve served on the board, managed the database and edited newsletters. He also assembled and published the community’s 2015 songbook. Steve was a lay member of the New England Annual Conference of the UMC and its predecessor, Troy Conference, for many years. For the last eight years of his life, he served on the conference’s Board of Ordained Ministry. Steve treasured all of these ministries and the people with whom he worked, prayed, played and sang.
Steve loved musical theater, public radio, outdoor dining, sunsets, walking and biking, time with loved ones, making music, and traveling. Favorite trips included many parts of North America; Australia; Germany (Oberammergau Passion Play); England (John Wesley tour); and hiking, biking and kayaking in New Zealand.
In late March 2020, as COVID-19 shut down the world, Steve began hosting a weekly Zoom gathering with his four brothers and their spouses. This connection was an important source of support for him after his cancer diagnosis in March 2021.
Steve was predeceased by his parents, Lewis and Gladys Oakland; his father-in-law, Robert Deppe; and several cousins. He is survived by his wife, Sue Deppe, and his brothers and their wives: Dick and Lanea Oakland of Madison, Wis.; Dave and Mary Jane Oakland of Ames, Iowa; Jerry and Barb Oakland of Marion, Iowa; and Dan and Jenny Oakland of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Carol Deppe of Ames, Iowa, and Sue’s siblings: Linda Deppe of Milwaukie, Ore.; Barbara Deppe and Karl Beuschlein of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; Michael Deppe and Rachel Richardson of St. Paul, Minn.; and Roberta Deppe and Andrew Gibson of Portland, Ore; and their families.
Sue and Steve appreciated the superb care Steve received from Dr. Marc Greenblatt and team at the University of Vermont Cancer Center. The family thanks UVM Home Health & Hospice, Loving Home Care, Pruneau-Polli Funeral Home, and the wonderful crew at the Vermont Forest Cemetery, where Steve’s natural burial service was held on May 27, 2026.
During his life, Steve’s quiet faithfulness, humility and kindness drew many people to him. He was, and is, deeply loved. Now his body helps to sustain a beautiful forest on a hillside in Roxbury, and Steve is with God.
A celebration of Steve’s life will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2 p.m., at First United Methodist Church, 21 Buell St., Burlington, VT. Dress comfortably for the weather; the sanctuary is not air-conditioned. A reception will follow.
Those wishing to donate in Steve’s memory might consider one of the following: First United Methodist Church, Burlington, Vt. (umcburlington.com), the Vermont Food Bank (vtfoodbank.org) or the Vermont Forest Cemetery (cemetery.eco).
This article appears in July 22 • 2026.