Stephen David Stripling

Stephen David Stripling was born June 5, 1962 in Commerce, Texas to David and Karan Benesch Stripling. He passed away unexpectedly May 24 following a major stroke from which he seemed to be recovering.

In April of 1965 he was joined by his sister, Sheri Denice. Because of his dad’s Air Force career, by the time he graduated from Sumter S.C. High School , he had lived in ten different places – never happy to move and leave friends – including England when he was 4/5. While in England he had British playmates and attended a British kindergarten and returned to the States with the sweetest British accent. Of course it didn’t take long for his Texas accent to return. He became a Cub Scout while in grade school and at 15 an Eagle Scout.

After his high school graduation; he, his mother and sister joined his dad in Germany. Because of a scholarship to the Citadel, he only had the summer but during that time he traveled to London with the American Youth Association for three weeks where the group met up with youth from other NATO countries. He also traveled to Berlin with friends and while there traveled into East Berlin. Although he participated in AFROTC during high school after a year at the Citadel, he decided it was not for him and returned to Germany for the next three years. He attended the University of Maryland at Munich. He really enjoyed traveling; highlights included Russia, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Normandy, Yugoslavia and Prague.

In 1994 he joined his sister at South West Texas State where he continued his study of history and English. It was during this time that he took a job as a cook and soon realized that he was good at it and enjoyed it. He worked for various restaurants primarily in San Marcos including Café on the Square which he helped open at its current location; he would often suggest new menu items and enjoyed cooking nightly specials and creating holiday menus.

Steve began a love of music in his teens and especially enjoyed attending live concerts, no matter the venue and has a large vinyl record collection. He was also an avid reader beginning in first grade; he especially enjoyed science fiction and history.

Steve became a cat person after rescuing a Manx kitten which he named Tiffle. Through the following years 4 others would become a part of his life; he sincerely loved his fur babies. Steve had a kind heart and a quiet, gentle nature and he will be missed by all who knew him.

Steve is preceded in death by his grandparents Carl and Betty Stripling and Richard and Mollie Benesch. He is survived by his parents, sister Sheri White, her husband Rick and their daughters Krisalynn De Luna and her husband Jesse and Kaleena White; aunts Melvina Sheridan and Mary Linda Blakey and her husband Wade; uncles Phil Stripling and his wife Louise and Mark Stripling and numerous first, second and third cousins.