We were saddened to learn that Stephanie DeKay died while being treated for heart failure at Stanford Hospital on Thursday October 6th. She will be missed by us all. A memorial service will be held on Friday October 21st at 10:00am in the Sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church Palo Alto.

Stephanie could be a force of nature, taking in children no one else could handle and raising them as her own, and helping older friends as they found that they could no longer care for themselves alone. She worked in the church office, answering phones and tracking down liturgists for upcoming Sundays.

She did these things and more, even though she had her own struggles, with finances and health being among the most pressing. Being blind didn't help matters either, but blindness was just part of who Stephanie was.

Stephanie had a beautiful singing voice and she lived life singing to her own tune, marching to her own drumbeat. Sometimes, in fact more often than not, the drumbeat was not one that most other people could follow. Frequently folks couldn't figure out the how and why of Stephanie's choices. But march on she did, no matter what other people thought, until October 6th.

Actually, I'll bet Stephanie didn't stop marching at all. In fact, she probably marched right into the face of God and demanded some answers and a big hug! And the most wonderful thing may be that Stephanie now gets to see that face and sing God's praises, without having to worry about how she's going to get up those darned stairs to the choir loft.

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From Sarah Pressly

I can't remember how we became friends, though I imagine it happened through force of will - Stephanie's will, of course! I remember letting her hold a little baby Sam during a Saturday gathering of the staff and Session...I remember her grandson standing so proudly at her feet...I remember her house and all the folks who made a family there, one very different from and yet very much the same as mine. We talked during her stint as receptionist at the office; we chatted by email after we moved away, hers a literal chat as she utilized voice technology, mine no doubt a more mechanical-sounding voice on the other end. While I'm sure her heart muscle was tired, I'm also sure her real heart, the heart for folks who needed second and third and infinite chances, never tired. I love the image of Stephanie marching up to God with a few questions that must be addressed! Then I love the image of her being able to rest, finally really rest, and not have to worry about anything anymore.