EAST BERNE — Stephen Alan Furman had a sense of humor and purpose.

His children were “the light of his life,” his family wrote in a tribute.

Mr. Furman died on Thursday, Nov. 27, at Daughters of Sarah Senior Community after what his family described as "a long and hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s disease." He was 61.

Mr. Furman, known to his friends as “Steve,” was born on July 2, 1953 in Westerlo to Ronald Furman and Patricia Fifield. He was the eldest of six children.

He graduated from Berne-Knox-Westerlo High School and had a long career as an installation foreman for Valley Equipment. He oversaw the installation of gasoline tanks at gas stations across the state.

Some of his biggest passions in life, his family wrote, were working on cars and watching National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). He loved going to Lebanon Valley Speedway on Saturdays with his father and daughters.

“You could often find him on the lake in the family boat or waterskiing,” his family wrote. “He also enjoyed playing pranks on others and loved to laugh.”

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He is survived by his three daughters, Deven Furman of South Berne; Kara Czapla of Groton, Connecticut; and Kristen Furman of Brooklyn; his two sons, Stephen Furman Jr. of Sacramento, California, and Shane Furman of Austin, Texas; his siblings, Gordon Furman, Shelly Young, Tammy Stempel, Darren Furman, and Lisa Furman; and his many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.

He is also survived by his ex-wife, Kim Furman, of East Berne, who continued to be a source of love and support for both him and their daughters.

His parents, Ronald Furman and Patricia Fifield, died before him.

A funeral was held at the Fredendall Funeral Home in Altamont on Monday, Dec. 1. Interment will take place on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Westerlo Rural Cemetery at 11 a.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease Research at Grand Central Station, Post Office Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777, www.michaeljfox.org/get-involved/donation2.php, or by calling 1-800-708-7644.

— Marcello Iaia