Stephanie Joan Conkling

Stephanie Joan Conkling, 83, of Acton, Mass., died peacefully on Dec. 8, 2016, in the presence of her family. Stephanie (Stef) was born July 8, 1933, in Quincy, Mass., the daughter of the late Richard and Marie (Reino) Wennberg of Wellesley, and sister of the late Virginia (Reino) Barfield. She graduated from Wellesley High School in 1951 and Lasell Junior College in 1953. As a young woman, she worked for Houghton Mifflin Publishing Co. in Boston. As a young wife, she moved with her former husband John (Jack) Conkling to Sendai, Japan; Framingham, Mass.; and Natchez, Miss., until finally settling at 144 Newtown Road in Acton, where she raised her three daughters and lived for 50 years. In 1990, she retired from Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, Mass. She took full advantage of her retirement years to enjoy her passions for skiing, biking, tennis and traveling. She was a past president and member of the Top of the Hill Gang, from 1988 until her death. With her family of friends from the gang, she led bike and ski trips throughout the U.S. and Europe, creating adventures and wonderful memories for many people. She loved and was well-loved by her friends. Stephanie was a talented homemaker and a devoted wife but above all, she was a loving mother and an adored grandmother "Nanie." She instilled in her children and grandchildren an appreciation for outdoor fun. Together they enjoyed many trips to the beaches and bike trails of New England, the slopes of Sugarloaf and Sunday River in Maine, and the islands of Lake George, N.Y. She will be held ever close in the hearts of her beloved family including her daughter and son-in-law, Cynthia and Carl Baxter, of Bow, N.H.; daughter Cheryl Feeney, of Shrewsbury, Mass.; daughter Melissa Sniffin, of Hudson, Mass.; grandchildren Matthew Baxter and his wife Eva, of Sag Harbor, N.Y.; Christopher Baxter, of Horsham, Pa.; Caralyn Baxter, of Park City, Utah; as well as Shawna Sniffin, Gregory Sniffin, Hannah Feeney, Kathryn Feeney and the youngest joys in her life, great-grandchildren Cole and Luke Baxter. Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Stephanie on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 3:00-5:00 pm in the Badger Funeral Home, 347 King St., Littleton, Mass. Her funeral service will be held on Monday, Dec. 12 at 10:00 am at the Acton Congregational Church, 12 Concord Rd., Acton. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery, Acton. The family would very much enjoy your presence for a lunch and celebration of Stephanie's life to be held at Outlook Restaurant at Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford at 12:30 p.m., following the services. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Friends of Cape Cod National Seashore, P.O. Box 550, Wellfleet, MA 02667 (fccns.org) or Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, The Duke Ellington Building, 2121 Ward Court, NW 5th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20037 (railstotrails.org).