Eugene "Gene" W Stephens

Eugene “Gene” Wilbur Stephens, 75, of Berwick, passed away April 23, 2019, at the Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital.

He was born July 11, 1943, in Bloomsburg, a son of the late Wilbur Stephens and Mary (Cadman) Casey, as well as his stepmother, the late Emanell Stephens. 

He graduated from Central High School in 1961, and graduated from Williamsport Technical Institute in 1964, with his drafting degree. Gene was drafted into the United States Army from 1965-1971. He was deployed to South Korea as a draftsman. He was employed at North Shore Railroad in Northumberland, until retirement in 2006. He also worked at Cole’s Hardware, Berwick, where he worked in assembly.  

Gene was a very skilled carpenter and talented gunsmith. His specialty was muzzleloaders and flintlocks–building and maintaining them. He was very well known for his guns and intricate carvings, and took much pride in them. He also enjoyed the outdoors in general, including camping (rather staying in his camper with his late wife, Connie), hunting, fishing, etc. Gene enjoyed collecting general antiques, antique firearms, and weaponry. He also enjoyed going with his friends to gun shows. He was very intelligent, creative, ingenious, and artistic. He was a wealth of history about any given location or artifact.  

Surviving are his son, Aaron Stephens, and his wife, Jessica Jones, of Lock Haven; two daughters:  Susanne DeGennaro, and her husband, Cosimo, of Danville, and Caroline Stephens of Corpus Christi, Texas; two grandchildren: Gaetano DeGennaro and Cody Fisk. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother, and his wife, the former Constance “Connie” Valunas, who passed away Dec. 10, 2018. 

Services will be Saturday, April 27, 2019, at noon at the James L. Hinckley Jr. Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc., 1024 Market St., Berwick, with the Very Rev. Francis J. Tamburro, V.F., officiating. Burial will follow at Millville Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until time of service.  

Family and friends may send online condolences to jameslhinckleyjrfuneralhome.com

The James L. Hinckley Jr. Funeral Home and Cremation Services is handling arrangements.  

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