BEACON FALLS – Richard Stephens, 78, passed away on April 13, 2024, at home surrounded by his family. He was the loving husband of Marilyn (Mancuso) Stephens for 56 years.
Richard was born in 1945 in Camp Lejeune, N.C., and lived the first half of his life in Bronx, N.Y., until he moved to Connecticut in the early 1980s. Richard was a self-made man who put himself through college, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. He had a successful career in Information Technology (IT) for 40-plus years.
Rich was a man of strong faith and very active in the Sacred Heart Parish in Southbury, the town where he raised his children. He served on the parish council, was a writer for its newsletter and acted as an usher at Sunday Masses.
During his retirement, he became an active member of St. Michael Parish in Beacon Falls, when he and Marilyn relocated to Chatfield Farms. Rich was known for his great sense of humor and dedication to his family. He was a huge UConn basketball fan, loved music, cars, old movies, and documentaries.
Some of his fondest memories were spent on family vacations at the beaches of Rhode Island, where you could find him enjoying a cigar with a good scotch. During his youth, he enjoyed running in the parks of the Bronx. In his later years, he enjoyed walking in the community where he lived, talking to everyone he saw along his route.
Richard is survived by his wife, Marilyn (Mancuso) Stephens; his four children, Lori Mulligan (Chuck), Julie Johnston (Chris), Jeffrey Stephens and Robert Stephens (Sue); and his three grandchildren, Blair Mulligan, Anna Mulligan, and Nicholas Johnston, who meant the world to him.
He will be missed by the many close relatives in both he and Marilyn’s family, as well as many cherished friends.
A visitation was to be from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. on Friday, April 19, 2024, in the daily chapel of Sacred Heart Church, 910 Main St. South, Southbury, to be followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in the church at 11:30 a.m. For those unable to attend, there was a live stream of the Mass, which can be viewed at middsouthcatholic.org. Burial was to follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery.
Memorial donations can be made in Rich’s name to the Wounded Warrior Project at woundedwarriorproject.org; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at stjude.org/donate; or to a charity of your choice.
The Carpino Funeral Home of Southbury has been entrusted with the arrangements. To leave a message of remembrance, please visit CarpinoCares.com.
