Steven T. Brown

Steven T. Brown, age 56, of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on April 29, 2026. Born and raised in Ozaukee County, Steven earned a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1993 and later completed a Master of Information Systems (M.I.S.) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2001.

Steven spent nearly 28 years at FIS Global in Milwaukee, working his way up from an entry-level programmer to a leadership role. He began in 1998, building the company’s first website for its mainframe debit card system and helping launch its new prepaid debit card service, which helped FIS secure its first major deal with one of the nation’s top five banks. Over the years, he managed teams across several areas, including health care payments, statement printing, and electronic money transfers. Between 2003 and 2005, he led a team that built a system enabling the use of special debit cards for medical expenses, such as doctor visits and prescriptions. This was the first of its kind in the industry and earned him a U.S. patent (#7,866,548). Colleagues marveled at his technical brilliance, and at family gatherings, Steven would patiently explain his latest projects, even though most of us only understood that we probably should have learned COBOL.

Beyond his numerous professional accomplishments, Steven was a devoted father who loved his sons, Evan and Ryan, more than anything in the world. While marriage and raising his boys kept him busy for many years, Steven happily rekindled lifelong friendships as his boys got older. He shared countless memories with longtime friends like Tony, Kevin, and Kurt, enjoyed Packers games on Sundays at Oscars, and was a familiar face at charity runs throughout the Milwaukee area. An avid runner, biker, fisherman, and volleyball player, he enjoyed all these activities with friends, whom he also considered family.

Steven was known for his consistently calm and level-headed demeanor, with two notable exceptions: Milwaukee traffic and board games – especially when he was winning or on the verge of victory. His family will never forget the legendary evening he clinched a game of Sequence. In a burst of exuberance, the usually unflappable Steven leapt to his feet, misjudged the low-hanging glass chandelier above him, and shouted “I won!” as shards of glass rained down on everyone below. That moment captured the wholehearted joy with which he lived.

Steven is survived by his sons, Evan and Ryan, and by a wide circle of friends and colleagues whose lives he enriched with quiet kindness, steady support, and genuine encouragement. He will forever be remembered as a loving father, a dedicated professional, a caring brother, and a loyal friend who approached life with humility, determination, and heart.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2026 – 12:00 PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church 1619 Washington Street Grafton, WI. Immediately following the mass, a visitation and luncheon will be held at 1:00 PM, at 13 North in Grafton.