Madison Man Killed in Md. Crash Was History Buff, Cook

A Madison resident who was struck and killed by a vehicle as he tried to cross a highway in Maryland last month was a history buff and enjoyed cooking, his obituary says.

Stephen Bird died Oct. 27 in Ocean City, Md. He was 38.

Bird grew up in Montclair and graduated from Montclair High School in 1993. He earned a bachelor's degree from Boston University, where he majored in sociology, according to his obituary. 

After college, he owned Renaissance Landscape Contracting in Montclair. In high school, he played varsity hockey and lacrosse.

"He did not hesitate to help those less fortunate than himself," the obituary says. "He was present at the World Trade Centers on 9/11 and helped several people outside of the towers find safety."

According to news reports, Bird was hit by a Jeep Wrangler shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Route 50 near Route 589. The 22-year-old driver and his passenger were returning home from a casino when the accident occurred. They stopped to see what happened, and no charges were pending against the driver.

Bird is survived by his mother, Ann Bird, and sister, Joanna Bird, of Madison. He was preceded in death by his father, John Bird.

A funeral service was held Saturday at Immaculate Conception Church in Montclair. He was laid to rest at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Upper Montclair.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to:

Market Street Mission

P.O. Box 1937

Morristown, NJ 07962-1937

www.marketstreet.org

Condolences may be left on the Hugh M. Moriarty Funeral Home website.