Whether he was building his own home computer, singing in the choir at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral or learning to ice skate, age was no obstacle for Steven Zorbas.

An Army veteran, musician and electronics wizard who was one of the first employees at WQED-TV, Mr. Zorbas happily picked up new skills and hobbies, said his oldest daughter, Stephanie Roush of Bethel Park.

“Dad would drive my sister to ice skating lessons, and at age 50, he decided it would be good for him to learn how to skate, too,” Roush said. “He went for piano lessons at 70. His classes would have recitals, would go around to nursing homes to play. … There would be all these 12-year-olds, 13-year-olds, and then my dad.”

Steven G. Zorbas of Upper St. Clair died on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011, of lung cancer. He was 83.

Mr. Zorbas was born in Monessen to George and Virginia Zorbas, both immigrants from the Greek island of Chios. After growing up in Mt. Oliver and graduating from Brentwood High School, Mr. Zorbas joined the Army in 1950 and was assigned to Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

He married his wife, Helen Vondas of Hazelwood, in 1951 — not long after they had met at St. Nicholas. They celebrated their 60th anniversary this year.

When Mr. Zorbas left the Army in 1952, the family moved back to Pittsburgh. He took classes in electronics at Penn Technical Institute, Downtown, and worked briefly at KDKA before joining the newly formed WQED in 1954 as an electronics engineer.

“This was before production was computerized. Now they press a few buttons, and the shows go out over the air, but back then, the people in the control room were responsible for making sure the signal went out clear and uninterrupted,” Roush said.

Mr. Zorbas rose to crew chief and lead technician based on his skills, but was known just as much for his personality.

“Under his temper and rough, inventive language, he was a soft-hearted and caring person,” said Paul Byers, director of engineering, reading from an e-mail reminiscence from some of Mr. Zorbas’ co-workers.

Roush said her father got to know WQED personalities such as Fred Rogers of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” and often would bring her to work to tour the sets and watch productions from the control room.

Mr. Zorbas also had an excellent tenor singing voice and plenty of musical talent, teaching himself to play the organ and the saxophone. He sang in the St. Nicholas choir from age 13 until just before his death, said his daughter. He often was a soloist, if only because he was the only man who could sing tenor.

At home, he kept a basement workshop in which he built and tinkered with his own computer, well before they were commonplace, Roush said. He was extremely proud to become a grandfather and great-grandfather and delighted in reading aloud to the children while he acted out different characters’ voices.

In addition to his wife, Helen, and daughter, Stephanie, Mr. Zorbas is survived by a daughter, Christina Smart of Marcellus, N.Y.; sister, Mary Zorbas of Mt. Lebanon; brother, James Zorbas of Chicago; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Theodore Zorbas.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today at John A. Freyvogel Sons Inc. in Shadyside, with Trisagion service at 2:30 p.m. The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Oakland.

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