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Date published: 5/15/2008
Stephan L. Williams
Stephan Lee Williams, 29, of Colonial Beach passed away Monday, May 12, 2008. He was born Feb. 27, 1979, to Suzanne Smith of Colonial Beach and Gill Williams of Okracoke Island, N.C. Besides his parents, he is survived by his fiancee, Carey Paradis; his grandmother, Mary Virginia Stanford; his sisters, Leslie Smith, Hillary Williams and Jubal Williams; his aunts and uncles, Patricia McRae, Alice Winebarger, Russell Ann Perry, James Williams and Mary Pryor Williams; and seven cousins. His grandparents, India and Russell Williams, and his grandfather, Clarence H. Stanford, are deceased. Stephan struggled within the last year due to an injury resulting from an abdominal blow while working with hydraulic equipment. Resulting pancreatitis took his life. Stephan was known as the manager of Stanford's Marine Railway following the death of his mentor and greatest friend, his grandfather Clarence Stanford. Clarence taught Stephan the trades of boat craft and seamanship, which Stephan dearly loved all his life. Some of his realtives' fondest memories are of Stephan operating machinery as a small child with the skills of an adult. As his mother said, "There's no machine Stephan couldn't drive backwards as well as he drove it forwards." His work ethic was unrivalled, often laboring into the evenings to ensure that any job got done. In his novel "Hermoine," Sloan Wilson included Stephan in a description as "a boy who worked like a man." Friends and family cherished his generous and ever-giving spirit. Stephan delighted in helping others and never hesitated to lend a hand. During Hurricane Isabel, he and friends rode through the storm in an Army-decorated truck making an effort to help anyone they could, all the while thoroughly enjoying themselves. He emanated a charisma and charm that made anyone around him feel more than welcome in his presence. He was known for his good manners, perpetually huge sense of humor and funny stories and always welcoming anyone into his place of work and his home, a habit he learned from his grandparents of Stanford's Marina. His hobbies included fishing, dirt track racing, target shooting, darts, four-wheeling, visits to NASCAR races with friends, frequent trips to his favorite vacation spot in Nags Head, N.C., spending time working on cars and other machinery when not on the clock, and enjoying time spent with friends and family. A graveside service will be held Friday, May 16, at 11 a.m. in St. Peter's Cemetery in Oak Grove, with the Rev. Prentice Kinser officiating. Following the service, a reception will be held at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Oak Grove, for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Colonial Beach Rescue Squad, 225 Dennison St., Colonial Beach, Va. 22443; to St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Box 177, Montross, Va. 22520; or to Colonial Beach Baptist Church, Box 27, Colonial Beach, Va. 22443. Nash & Slaw Funeral Home, Colonial Beach, is handling the arrangements.
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