Stephanos Papastephanou, 66, of Ventnor, NJ passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his loving family on August 11, 2025. He was born on June 30, 1959 in Pyrgos, Limassol, Cyprus. After graduating from Laniteio Lyceum in 1977, Stephanos served in the Cyprus National Guard and was in charge of the Recruitment and Conscription Office. He was accepted to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to study law, but as fate would have it, he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to study in the United States. In 1979, he enrolled in community college to perfect his English and took 22 credits a semester while working at the Hot Grill in Clifton, NJ as a short order cook. At the time, he lived at his Aunt Dora’s house in Totowa, NJ. Finally in 1981, he was ready to attend Rutgers University where during his first week of college, he met the love of his life, Stella. That would begin an adventure that would last 44 blissful years.

Stephanos and Stella married in November of 1983 and together moved to Stella’s hometown of Ventnor, NJ. Stephanos decided to work to provide for his family and started driving Jitney # 129 in January 1984. He didn’t feel that driving one jitney was quite enough and he later also purchased # 94. Stephanos could then be found driving on Pacific Avenue seven days a week at any time of day. His customers loved him and the other drivers always wondered how he could retain his calm demeanor in such a stressful occupation. He was also very mechanically-inclined and would always help a fellow driver during a breakdown.

The jitney business allowed Stephanos to spend a lot of quality time with his children Stephania and Demetri. They remember summer days fishing in Lakes Bay, rainy days perusing Zeus Sporting Goods or Sears, and snowy-day hikes in Wharton State Forest. The jitney also allowed Stephanos to enjoy his many hobbies as he was an avid hunter and fisherman and his flower and vegetable garden was the talk of the neighborhood in the summer. It also allowed him to turn the ignition off and visit his beloved homeland, Cyprus, for months at a time where he enjoyed many family vacations instilling his love for Cyprus in his children. Finally, his family convinced him to retire in 2020, when the pandemic hit. After that, his grandchildren were his greatest joy and he eagerly looked forward to each upcoming visit with them. He also joined a shooting club and he enjoyed traveling to Shamong every week where he made new friends and started a new hobby of reloading shells.

Stephanos was always happy when he was surrounded by his family, but he was happiest when he was with his family in his beloved Cyprus. The mountains of his childhood never left his heart and he dreamed of returning to them every year to hunt with Demetri, a passion that he had shared with his own father. He also enjoyed making olive oil with his family each year from the olive trees he planted with Stephania and Demetri in 1990. Most of all, he loved sharing his perivoli with his grandchildren.

Stephanos’s quick wit and animated storytelling will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. He was the life of a gathering as he recited joke after joke and was frequently found surrounded by eager listeners. He was also a true “jack of all trades” as he could fix anything and everything. He dabbled in plumbing and electrical among other things, and if he didn’t know something, he wouldn’t stop until he found the solution. Generous with his time, Stephanos would always help family, friends, and neighbors with repairs when asked, and his children, family, and friends would often call him with questions or dilemmas.

Stephanos is survived by his loving wife Stella, daughter Stephania (Marios), son Demetri (Gina), granddaughters Demi Rose, Zoe Marina, and Stella Panagiota, mother Maria, sisters Anthoulla and Eleni, sister-in-law Mary Ellen (Christopher) and several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his father Takis and brothers-in-law Theodore and Charalampos.

Funeral service will be held on Wednesday 27^th of August 2025, at 17:00 at Panagia Pyrgotissa church at Pyrgos Lemesou. 

In lieu of flowers, donations will be made to the church.