I had a brief e-mail exchange with Steve about a year ago, and he seemed OK then. He was a guy whose life seems impossible to comprehend on the surface, a Jewish urbanite from the South Side of Chicago who ended up in the woods of Tennessee by preference. I remember him as being exasperating and naive a lot of the time, but these adjectives could apply to me as well, to many of us going through adolescence. His virtues were loyalty and good nature and a stubbornness in adversity.
I was saddened by the news of Stephen's passing. After high school I met up with Stephen in San Jose, California, after his family moved there in 1965. I spent a couple of week-ends at his home while I was stationed in California. We reminisced and had a great time. Stephen had a motorcycle, so we rode up the Pacific coast to see the great view. Stephen's parents were very gracious hosts as well. We kept in contact through the years even with Stephen's and my moves. Stephen was a kind man, a true friend, and he was so happy to have met and married Maddie. Stephen's passing saddened me again, as well as the others in our class who have left us.
Stephen Franklin
I had a brief e-mail exchange with Steve about a year ago, and he seemed OK then. He was a guy whose life seems impossible to comprehend on the surface, a Jewish urbanite from the South Side of Chicago who ended up in the woods of Tennessee by preference. I remember him as being exasperating and naive a lot of the time, but these adjectives could apply to me as well, to many of us going through adolescence. His virtues were loyalty and good nature and a stubbornness in adversity.
This was sad news.
Lyn Rau (Pence)
Cindy Hoffman Bolanowski came to visit me here in Virginia three or four years ago and together we drove to
Tennessee to visit Steve and is wife Maddie. I had known Steve since about seventh grade at Waterman
School. He appreciated the fact that I was very familiar with people of the Jewish faith, having attended camp
for years and being the only female Gentile as well as having a Jewish step-grandmother. Steve and Cindy
became friends because they shared the same faith and had come for the same area of south side Chicago
before relocating to Dolton. We had all enjoyed being in chorus and Madrigal singers.
Steve told us that he had been near death numerous times due to serious heart issues and also a stroke. At
the time of our visit he was able to walk his dogs and seemed comfortable on the day they took us
sightseeing. I was very glad to be in the country and Cindy not so much. We had been
communicating via e-mail for some time prior to the visit but afterward it slowed down. I will say this for sure ...
Steve was extremely happy that we had come to see he and Maddie in Tennessee.
Regards to all,
Lyn Rau Pence
Michael Witak
I was saddened by the news of Stephen's passing. After high school I met up with Stephen in San Jose, California, after his family moved there in 1965. I spent a couple of week-ends at his home while I was stationed in California. We reminisced and had a great time. Stephen had a motorcycle, so we rode up the Pacific coast to see the great view. Stephen's parents were very gracious hosts as well. We kept in contact through the years even with Stephen's and my moves. Stephen was a kind man, a true friend, and he was so happy to have met and married Maddie. Stephen's passing saddened me again, as well as the others in our class who have left us.