Louise Ursula Stephen

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” “Our days on earth are like grass…the wind blows, and we are gone…but the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children…of those who obey his commandments…. Let all that I am praise the Lord” (Ps 103: 1, 2, 15 - 18, 22 - New Living Translation) Louise Ursula Stephen entered her eternal rest on Sunday, January 22, 2023, in Atlanta Georgia. She was born on Friday, July 7, 1933, in Paramaribo, Suriname (formerly Dutch Guiana), South America. Louise was the third of six children to Adolphina Jacquilina and Jackues Alfred Nelom. Louise represented the fifth generation of Neloms in Suriname, dating back to the late seventeen hundreds; and she was the last remaining matriarchal member of the fifth generation of Neloms in that country. Louise, also affectionately called Wiesje (pronounced Weesha) by those close to her, and “The Queen” by her nieces and nephews, came from humble beginnings. She and her five siblings lived their formative years sacrificially, as both parents served as missionaries of the Moravian Church, for extended periods of time, in the hinterland mission fields of Suriname. Louise accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at a very young age. In 1955, at the age of 22, Louise married Peter Joseph Stephen, a native of neighboring British Guiana, and an aspiring minister of the gospel. From humble beginnings as his Dutch interpreter, together they went on to serve for over 60 years in ministry as a pastor, missionary, and educator, in churches in Suriname, British Guiana (now Guyana), the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the United States. For a brief period, in the early 1960s, they also lived and worked in ministry in England. Among her innumerable accomplishments, Louise is most proud of raising seven children; completing her education by earning a certificate in early childhood education from the College of the Virgin Islands - St. Croix Campus; and starting pre- and early education programs in the churches she served that benefitted both the local church and neighboring communities. About her life, Louise has said, “I must live my life within the circle of the Lord.” Louise was preceded in death by her husband and lifelong mate, Peter Joseph Stephen and son, Linden Stephen. She leaves behind six children: Wesley (Gloria) Stephen; Joseph (Sherri) Stephen; Annita Stephen; John (Colette) Stephen; Linda (Fabrizio) Sergio; and Cherryl Stephen. She also leaves behind six grandchildren (Pamela, Mellina, Gabriel, Samuel, Luca, and Matteo); five nieces (Rina, Muriel, Hedy, Jenny, and Alexandra) three nephews (John, Kenneth, and Dennis); Godchild, Krystel Compton and numerous friends both far and near, many of whom she had life long-relationships. These services will be recorded and streamed live. If the event is interrupted at any time due to technical issues, the entire event will be uploaded and available to view later in the day. Please copy and paste the link to share, or simply click on the link to view the event. https://vimeo.com/event/2840494

Tributes

Louise Ursula Stephen

July 7, 1933 - January 22, 2023