Obituary of Stephen M. Buda III

Stephen M. Buda III, age 56, of New Haven, husband of Roxana Rohrhirsch Buda, suffered a tragic accident on Monday, September 6, 2021. Born in Bridgeport on August 8, 1965, he was the eldest son of Stefan Buda and Lois Nelson Thompson.

Stephen was a Pumper Engineer with the City of Bridgeport Fire Department where he truly loved his job and took great pride in assisting those in need for the past eight years. Prior to that, he was a volunteer firefighter for the Town of Woodbridge for nine years. He was an instructor for the Valley Fire School for nine years and was currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Fire Science at the University of New Haven. He was a talented craftsman who took pride in building and remodeling homes, boats, bikes, campers and more. But above all, he was a loving and dedicated husband, father, and friend who made time to help everyone.

In addition to his wife and soulmate Roxy, of 31 years, and his parents, survivors include his two daughters, Alexandra and Isabella, his brother, Paul and his wife Kimberly, his sister, Naomi, his mother-in-law, Berta, his father's wife Trish, nieces and nephews Paul Jr, Ryan, Angelina, Sophia, Lucia, Natalia, Denise and Paula (las sobrinas) as well as his in-law family, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many dear friends. He was predeceased by his father-in-law Joseph Rohrhirsch.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St Patrick's Church, 851 North Ave, Bridgeport CT, followed by a Mass at 1:30 p.m. Interment will be private.

Stephen was a lifelong learner who enjoyed exploring new subjects, creating something from nothing, and sharing his knowledge with those around him. He was passionate about protecting the environment and found the jungle to be an important resource to preserve. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks for a donation to any of the following: MakeHaven, VineTrust, or the University of New Haven Annual Fund (makehaven.org, vinecharityusa.org, give.newhaven.edu). Please specify that your donation is in his honor.

For those unable to attend services, you can sign on to www.thecathedralparish.org to view the services live.