Mr. Stephen Andrew Cepec

STATESBORO, Ga. -- Mr. Stephen Andrew Cepec, age 23, went home to be with the Lord on November 20, 2013, following a long and courageous battle with cancer. Stephen was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and moved to Statesboro at the age of 2. At the age of 4, Stephen traveled with his family to Trinidad to serve in the mission field. In 2005, Stephen and his family returned to Statesboro and in 2009 he graduated from Bible Baptist Christian Academy. In 2011, Stephen became the youth pastor at New Life Fellowship in Statesboro and that same year he married Melanie Price of Statesboro. The two continued to serve the church as youth leaders until his death. Stephen loved to eat, especially El Sombrero, and enjoyed watching cooking channels on TV. He had a great passion for the outdoors and spent much time fishing and hunting.
Stephen was preceded in death by his grandfather, Wendell Waters.
Surviving are his wife, Melanie Price Cepec of Statesboro; his parents, Ralph and Sandra Waters Cepec of Statesboro; a sister and brother-in-law, Rebekah C. and Levi Qualls of Mt. Ulla, N.C.; three brothers, Samuel A. Cepec, Robert N. Cepec and Shawn T. Cepec, all of Statesboro; grandparents, Annette Waters of Statesboro and Ralph and Bernadine Cepec of Pittsburgh, Pa.; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Mike and Anita Price of Statesboro; great-grandmothers, Katherine Bird and Sarah Waters, both of Statesboro; a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ashley and Drew Bigley of Casa Grande, Ariz.; and his grandparents-in-law, Howard and Miriam Price of Statesboro.
The family will receive visitors from 5-8 p.m. Friday, November 22, 2013, at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro.
The funeral service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Bible Baptist Church with the Rev. Wayne Miracle and the Rev. Seth Gilbert officiating.
The body will lie-in-state one hour prior to the service.
Interment will be in Bulloch Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Samuel Cepec, Robert Cepec, Shawn Cepec, Levi Qualls, David Pierson and Brian Dunlop.
Honorary pallbearers will be Heather Deason, Justin Dunlop, Aden Hallowell, Chandler Smith, Daniel Pierson, Clinton Bonetti, Kayley Croft and Ava Bonetti.
Stephen trusted in the Lord and knew that through his illness, the Lord would place him where he needed to be. He truly loved the time spent serving the mission field in Trinidad and wanted his family to return to the field.
For those desiring to make a memorial contribution, Stephen would have wanted them to be made to Baptist Missions to Forgotten Peoples, "In memory of Stephen Cepec", P.O. Box 37043, Jacksonville, Florida 32236. This will assist in the return of his family to the mission field.
Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com.
Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home of Statesboro is in charge of the arrangements.

Statesboro Herald, November 22, 2013
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