Stephen Watson

Stephen J. Watson was born on July 28, 1965, in Bronx, New York to his parents Henry and Gillive Watson. Steve, known to his family as “Petey”, was the youngest of six siblings: Frederick, Joannetta, Maurice, Michelle, Steven and Roxanne. As a child, Steve was intellectual and analytical, so much that his friends named him “Wiz”. He was great with numbers, was an avid reader, and had a business mindset at a very young age. He attended Our Savior Lutheran School in the Bronx before moving to Rockland County, New York, where he attended high school. He was considered a scholar-athlete and was a star basketball player at Spring Valley High School. Steve had a deep connection with his family and friends in Rockland County, many of whom, like him, were rooted there.

Steve received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Upon graduation, he became a New York licensed Certified Public Accountant. Thereafter, he obtained a Master of Business Administration from the Ross School of Business Administration at University of Michigan. Steve had an illustrious professional career, and at the time of his death was serving as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Auldbrass Partners, a private equity firm in New York City. Prior to Auldbrass, he was among other things, Managing Director of Acres Capital; a Senior Vice President and Head of Asset Management at C-III Capital Partners; Chief Financial Officer at Citicare Health Care Center; and Vice President and Senior Underwriter at Lehman Brothers. Additionally, he was an entrepreneur and principal of various businesses.

Steve and his wife, Kimara, met at an event in Brooklyn, New York, and were instantly captivated by one another. They married in 2005 and moved to New Jersey. They have two children, Chad and Cameron. Steve also has an older son, Reginald. He was extremely proud of his sons and wished to carry on his legacy through them.

Steve was a consummate provider and protector. He was committed to his family and always made them feel safe and secure. He worked very hard but tried to maintain a balance between his demanding career and family life. Steve and Kimara spent their lives together exploring all that life had to offer, including voyaging to various destinations around the world. In 2025, Steve and his family traveled to Barbados, Texas, Washington D.C., the Hamptons and London, and Steve and Kimara recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in Turks and Caicos.

Steve is survived by his wife, Kimara, and their two sons Chad and Cameron; his oldest son, Reginald; his grandson, Caden; his sisters, Roxanne and Michelle; his brother, Steve; his nieces and nephews, Ashanti, Kellen, Danita, Shanay, Lakisha, Matthew, Melissa, Maurice Jr., Linda, and Justice; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and other extended family members.

Stephen J. Watson will be missed and loved always. May God bless him and keep his spirit safe.