Stephen Cody Hollifield

We, his family and friends, are heartbroken to announce the death of Stephen Cody Hollifield, known fondly by his friends as “Ninja.” He left this world at the age of 33 on February 10, 2023. Stephen was a sweet and caring man with a strong moral compass. His loving, kind, and compassionate heart towards family and friends will be greatly missed. He was both a man of few words and a man who wouldn’t let you get a word in depending on the day and the topic. He loathed small talk and marched to the beat of his own french horn.

He was his most authentic self when he was with friends, playing video games. It was there that he could break loose and let out his silly side. As a child, he grew up teaching his first friends, his sisters Sadie and Shaylie, how to play Duck Hunter and Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo. As he got older, his love for video games grew and he was the MVP of his online video game groups. You could often find him playing Rocket League, Fortnight, and Elite Dangerous with his closest friends. With his acquired knowledge of stealth and strategy, he executed expert-level Irish goodbyes during the holidays. One moment, he would be at the family card table playing poker and the next, vanished - in his room taking on his next video game challenger.

When Stephen was not dominating the online competition, he enjoyed playing with his two nephews, Titus and Uriah, camping, spending time with his cats, playing pool and arcade games with friends, and relaxing with his friend Bryan, on his farm. A lover of nature, he would often escape for long walks in the woods or a run through the park to clear his mind.

Stephen was a huge movie buff who saw nearly every action and sci-fi movie that hit theaters; a trait he inherited from his loving grandparents, Nanny and Papaw. He could quote almost any Star Wars movie with shocking precision. During the most mundane tasks, he would often turn on movie soundtracks to ensure any activity we worked on sounded epic. In particularly dramatic sections of music, Stephen would stop and make sure everyone paused to listen to the orchestrations - waving his arms around to embody the music, each gesture reminding us to hear and appreciate every nuance.

He was musically inclined from a young age, leading him to play the french horn, a notoriously difficult instrument, throughout high school and college. At that time, he was constantly buzzing his lips around the house, practicing his form for hours on end. Relentless in his pursuit of perfection, he could stay on pitch and on beat while marching in formation with the high school band, in competitions, and during half time performances during football season at Montgomery High School. Stephen’s talent and musical skill set earned him a scholarship to attend Blinn College where he received his associates degree.

After college, Stephen became a Harris County Detention Officer. While in the Detention Academy, the Sergeant gave him the nickname “Ninja.” As the story goes, Stephen would absolutely destroy the obstacle courses. After jumping through windows, climbing like a monkey, and outrunning his classmates, he would complete the course and then go back to help others in his class make it through.

He proudly served in the Navy Reserve from 2019 - 2023 where he learned how to build homes. During the 2020 pandemic, he made great use of these skills to help restore his Nanny’s childhood home with his sister, Sadie, and his cousin, Chaz.

Throughout his life, Stephen maintained a strong relationship with the Lord and devoted himself to a high moral standard. From the special way that he cared for others, to the hilarious and unhinged measures he would take to put a smile on someone’s face, he never ceased to show himself to have a heart of gold. He was fiercely loved by his family and friends, and will forever hold a special place in our hearts. His passing leaves an unthinkable hole in the hearts of many, but we know he is finally at complete peace and living his absolute best life at the right hand of The Father, Jesus Christ.

He is survived by his mother, Lisa Marie Barcia; his father, Stephen Arthur Hollifield; his sisters, Sadie and Shaylie; his nephews, Titus and Uriah, and his grandmother, Sadie Marie Barcia “Nanny”

A visitation for Stephen will be held Friday, February 17, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Pat H. Foley & Company, 1200 West 34th Street, Houston, TX 77018.

To honor Stephen’s memory, we are holding a celebration of his life on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at 10:00 AM, followed by a reception from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Pat H. Foley & Company, 1200 West 34th Street, Houston, TX 77018. We invite anyone who knew him to attend and remember his life among friends and family. The committal service will follow at 2:00 PM at Glenwood Cemetery, 2525 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.pathfoleyfuneraldirectors.com.