Stephen is survived by his wife, Kristin Woodward; his sons, Aaron and Elijah Woodward; his parents, Normandy and Thomas Woodward; and his siblings, Joy Taylor, Karyn Smith and Dan Woodward. He is preceded in death by his birth father, James Taylor, and beautiful daughter, Abigail Woodward.
Stephen was born in Dunedin, Florida, to Normandy and James Taylor. After the passing of James Taylor, Thomas Woodward married Normandy and adopted Stephen to raise him and his two siblings as his own. They added the youngest sister Karyn later.
Stephen pursued a degree in Political Science at the University of South Florida and then added to his education with certifications in the fields of computer security and software design. On May 17, 2003, he married his true love, Kristin Turner, whom he met at the singles’ ministry of Calvary Baptist Church. Some years later they welcomed into the world their twins, Aaron and Abigail. Shortly thereafter, Kristin and Stephen suffered the loss of Abigail. Several years later, they added another bundle of joy to the family when they brought home Elijah. Kristin and Stephen’s greatest joys have always been their children.
Stephen has always had a passion for children, and they love him as well. Stephen was very involved in the foster care system along with his wife, and they were strong supporters and leaders in the area. During the many years of their selfless devotion to the foster care system, Kristin and Stephen were able to foster countless children in need of love, support, and protection.
Stephen was born an avid fisherman and sailor, and outings with his grandfather further fostered a love for fishing. Stephen had a contagious smile and laugh, and he always laughed at his own jokes the most. He was always there to lend a hand or an ear to anyone in need, no questions asked. At an early age Stephen put his trust in Christ as his Savior and never looked back.
Stephen will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege to know him. A memorial service is scheduled for April 10th at 11 a.m. at Calvary Church, located at 110 N. McMullen Booth Rd. Clearwater, FL 33759. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to A Door of Hope- Biblical Foster Care: https://adoorofhope.com
