John  A. Stephen, age 77, a resident of Wheaton, IL, went home to be with his Lord on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, following a heart attack while on vacation in Florida.  He was born on June 30, 1945 in Rahway, NJ to David and Clara Stephen.

John's childhood was spent in New Jersey, moving to Edina, MN for his high school years.  He went on to graduate with a BA in History from the University of Minnesota.  He enlisted in the US Army, serving in the Army Security Agency in the Panama Canal Zone and in Bad Aibling, Germany.

After his service, John went to work in management at Sears, Roebuck, and Co, and lived in Evanston, IL. There he met Diane Eisenhuth, and they were married in 1974.   A job transfer with Sears relocated them to Eden Prairie, MN, where they welcomed their first child, Katie. A few years later, John took a position with Ace Hardware Corporation in the Merchandising Department in Oakbrook, IL and they moved to Wheaton. They were especially happy about the move because it brought them closer to where Diane had grown up and where family lived in Aurora, IL. Soon they rejoiced at the arrival of their second child, Jonathan.

Because first and foremost John loved God and his family, life in Wheaton was highlighted by involvement in the local church. For him that included singing in the choir, attending Bible study, serving as a Deacon, ushering, and greeting newcomers at the information table. The College Church family prayed John through many health challenges over a span of 30 years. In each instance God sustained him and he was grateful for God's faithfulness.

John continued at Ace Hardware Corporation for the duration of his career, retiring after 27 years. He then worked at Buikema's Ace Hardware store in South Naperville, where he used his extensive knowledge of the hardware industry to manage the electrical and plumbing departments.

Having majored in history with an emphasis on the European Theatre of World War II, in retirement John volunteered at Cantigny Park, giving tours in the First Division Museum. He also used his gardening expertise while volunteering to groom the Cantigny golf course. For the past few years, he reveled in his role as a crossing guard for Edison Middle School and Whittier Elementary School, cheerfully greeting children, parents, and dogs twice a day.

John was regularly seen working in his yard and garden and was eager to help others with their gardening questions.  This had been instilled in him at a young age as he assisted his mother in her garden.

In addition to gardening, John's hobbies included reading, music, trains, and sports. He was an avid reader of non-fiction and passionate about listening to music of many genres, especially enjoying hymns and organ. Though he was occasionally found cheering for Chicago sports teams, his true loyalty remained with the Minnesota Gophers, Twins, and Vikings.

Having gone every Saturday to watch the trains with his dad in New Jersey, John was enamored with anything to do with trains: riding them, watching them, collecting them, and reading about them. He especially liked running his Lionel trains with his children and grandchildren. John was a loving and devoted father and grandfather. His four grandchildren were a delight to him. He especially enjoyed reading with them, taking walks, and hearing about whatever interested them.

John was always ready for travel and spending time in St. Maarten in the Caribbean was his favorite. He and Diane had just spent a wonderful month there prior to arriving in Florida.

He is survived by his wife, Diane Stephen, his children, Katherine (Walter) Cuprys and Jonathan (Melisa) Stephen, four grandchildren, William, Anna, Jakob, and Matthew, one brother, David (Marian) Stephen and niece, Lisa (Kc Stanton) Stephen, and nephew, Christopher Stephen.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Jane Stephen.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at College Church in Wheaton, 332 E Seminary Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187 . Friends may visit with the family following the service.  A livestream of the service is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SsqRAZ29SQ .

Burial with military honors will be held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois.

Memorial gifts may be directed to College Church in Wheaton.

Family and friends may sign a guest book HERE . For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.