Obituary of Barbara S. Stephens

HORNELL: Barbara S. Stephens, 68, passed away March 7, 2023 surrounded by family and loved ones at her home in Hornell, after bravely enduring a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Daughter of William and Jean Stockdale she was born on November 11, 1954 in Queens and grew up on Long Island. Barbara came upstate to attend SUNY Binghamton, where she graduated with her B.A. in English. A highlight of her college years was meeting her future husband Arlen Stephens, and enjoying the history and literary highlights during their semester abroad in London. Barbara and Arlen married in 1977 and enjoyed 34 years of marriage until his death in 2011. Upon their marriage they returned to Long Island where Barbara earned her Masters in Business at SUNY Stony Brook while working as a project manager for Long Island Lighting. In 2000 she was lured by Arlen to the beauty of western New York and they moved to Hornell where Barbara continued her work at Alstom and Dresser Rand and became an enthusiastic supporter of upstate life. Barbara was an avid lover of animals and the arts, a reader, traveler, and loving sister, aunt, stepmother, grandmother and cousin. Active in the community, she sang with the Orpheus Chorale and served as its grant writer and treasurer for many years. A member of the First Presbyterian Church of Canisteo, she sang in the choir, served as an elder and as presbytery commissioner. Barbara was predeceased by her parents, husband, stepdaughter Jodi Stephens and brothers-in-law Gary Stephens, Michael Stephens and Jim Romba. She is survived by her sister Carol Romba, and nephews William and Matthew (Rebecca) Romba, all of New Jersey. Also surviving are her stepdaughter Lisa (Terry) Sanford of Canisteo and granddaughter Katharine Sanford of London, UK, step-daughter-in-law Donna Saltsman of Bath, and sisters-in-law Sue Stephens of Elmira and Connie Stephens of New Hartford. She leaves loving cousins Elaine Pierce of Canisteo, Christine Redman, Bill Redman of New York, Dan (Alicia) Redman of New Jersey and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank all the compassionate caregivers from Tender Loving Home Care along with neighbor and pet lover Betsy DuPont who so lovingly supported her during her illness. Calling hours for Barbara Stephens will be held Friday, March 10th from 5-7 pm at the H.P. Smith and Son, Inc. Funeral Home in Canisteo. A funeral service will take place Saturday, March 11th at 10:30 am at the First Presbyterian Church in Canisteo. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Canisteo. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741.