Scott Parks Stepp

Scott was born on September 8, 1968, in Jacksonville, Florida. He is sorely missed and is survived by his adoring daughter Madison Gabrielle Stepp of New Bern, NC; his mother and stepfather Sheri and Levy Stilley of New Bern, NC; his sister and brother-in-law, Laura and Jon Cunningham, his nieces and nephew Alyssa, Nicholas, and Brooke of Melbourne, FL, as well his stepsister, Stacey Stilley of Bridgeton, NC. Scott is preceded in death by his father Fred Stepp of Hendersonville, NC, and his brother Paul Madison Stepp of Honolulu, HI.

Scott's love of the ocean led him to a career as a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer in New Orleans, LA. Quickly rising through the ranks, Scott attained his ultimate goal by achieving the rank of Captain. He left the high seas after the birth of his daughter, and later successfully pursued several avenues of entrepreneurship.

Scott's uncanny wit captured the essence of his gregarious personality, keeping the family entertained all these years. His love of family spurred his quest to search for the perfect gifts for holidays and special occasions. Each gift was laced with his creativity and thoughtfulness. Always searching for a deal, he was famous for saying "One man's junk is another man's treasure." His face would light up when he stumbled upon an item that he could later transform into a treasure for his loved ones.

Scott was also an avid reader, movie guru, talented chef, and adventurous soul. We will forever cherish our family videos because of his hilarious commentating. While often dreaming of winning the lottery, Scott penned a letter to his daughter that God revealed to him that he did win. He won "big" the day Madison was born. Undoubtedly, she was the love of his life.

Recently Scott sent off for his passport with dreams of finally visiting Bora Bora and New Zealand; however, little did he know he didn't need it to reach paradise. Scott's parting farewell would surely be from Bob Marley's song, "Three Little Birds:"

"Don't worry about a thing

'Cause every little thing, gonna be all right

Singin', don't worry about a thing

'Cause every little thing, gonna be all right."

A private memorial service will be held in his honor. In lieu of flowers, a donation in his honor can be made to the German Shepherd Rescue, 1821 Hillandale Road, Suite 1B #326, Durham, NC 27705 (gsdrescue.org).