Stephen Anderson Vann

Stephen proudly served his country in the United States Army as an infantryman during Vietnam and was honorably discharged. His pride in serving his country never left him. He was a member of American Legion Post 175, and his dedication to his fellow veterans continued long after his own military service. Whenever he met a veteran who needed help, Stephen was proud to do whatever he could for them.

Stephen was preceded in death by his mother, Thelma Lenora Vann; his father, George Anderson Vann Jr.; and his brother, George Christopher Vann.

He is survived by his children, Jay and (wife) Elizabeth Robinson; Stephen Vann II and (wife) Stephanie Vann; Shirley and (husband) Nicholas Richards; and Megan and (wife) Samantha Vann.

He is also survived by his grandchildren, Angel Moran, James Turner, Kiley Vann, Alyssa and (husband) Conner Fluharty, William Richards, and Kayden McManus (Vann), ETSN, U.S. Navy; and his great-grandchildren, Shyann Linkins, Dustin Moran, and Oliver Moran.

His family is also joyfully anticipating the arrival of another great-granddaughter, Lenora Lee Fluharty. Although Stephen will not be here to welcome Lenora himself, she will enter this world already surrounded by stories and memories of her Poppop and will forever be a part of the legacy he leaves behind.

But a list of names could never fully describe what family meant to Stephen. Alongside his military service, one of the greatest sources of pride in his life was standing beside his children, no matter what life brought their way. That love and devotion were especially evident as he stood proudly beside his daughter Shirley throughout her fight with leukemia.

Stephen had his own way of showing his family just how much he loved them. His daughters and granddaughters knew that if they pulled up in a car, there was a pretty good chance Dad or Poppop was going to check the oil and inspect the tires. If something wasn’t right, he would insist on getting the oil changed or the tires replaced. Taking care of the people he loved wasn’t something he simply talked about; it was something he did.

That same generosity extended far beyond his family. Stephen was the kind of man who would give the shirt off his back to someone he saw in need. During the holidays, that generosity became a tradition. Every year, he would fill a car with turkeys for Thanksgiving and hams for Christmas to help make sure other families had something on their tables.

Stephen loved working with his hands, building things himself, and customizing just about anything he could. He took pride in figuring out how to make something his own. He was an avid collector of antiques and firearms and loved spending time thrifting, always on the lookout for another treasure.

Somehow, Stephen always seemed to come across another little knickknack or candle that one of his children needed to have, and he loved passing his latest finds along to his kids.

And if you didn’t find Stephen thrifting, building something, or checking in on his family, chances were pretty good you could catch him at his local gas station playing a few scratch-offs. It was one of those simple little things that was just part of being Stephen.

Stephen also seemed to believe there was no such thing as a holiday that didn’t require decorating. His home was decorated for every holiday, and those decorations became another familiar part of the home and life he created.

He knew exactly what he liked when it came to food, too. Give him an ice-cold tea, Ledo Pizza, spaghetti, or a fresh strawberry shortcake made the way his mother made it, and he was happy.

Comfort was his happy place, and anyone who knew him could see it. A T-shirt, hat, and Crocs suited Stephen just fine.

Then there are the little things his family knows will bring him rushing back into their memories without warning. The familiar scent of Preferred Stock passing by somewhere may forever cause one of them to stop for just a moment and think, “That’s Dad. That’s Poppop.”

Stephen leaves behind much more than the things he built or collected. He leaves behind a lifetime of showing up—for his country, for his fellow veterans, for strangers who needed a helping hand, and, above all else, for his family.

His family will miss the man who checked their tires and oil, brought home another candle or knickknack, decorated for every holiday, lent a hand whenever someone needed one, and always made sure the people he loved were taken care of.

They will miss Dad. They will miss Poppop. But they will carry with them all the little things that made Stephen unmistakably Stephen.

His legacy lives on through his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the great-granddaughter still on her way.

One of Stephen’s greatest sources of pride was standing beside his children, no matter what. Now, the family he spent his life standing beside will carry his memory forward.