Stephanie Stutznegger

On 28 January 2025, in Portland, Or., the amazing and inimitable Stephanie Powell (Spawr) Stutznegger successfully and honorably completed her mission on Earth.

Stephanie was three weeks in the ICU, and had heroically beaten down a bacterial lung infection, but her brave, pure, forgiving, faithful, tired heart that had worked so hard for so long, just *couldn't* any longer, and she had to go home.

Stephanie was born in Orange, Ca. on 22 February 1969, to Patricia Shea and Robert Travis Spawr.

She grew up in Goleta, Ca., loved the beach and relished any opportunity to go back to the beach, any beach, and spiritually reconnect, throughout her life.

In an ironic twist of fate, she graduated from Grand Forks Central High in 1987, having moved with her family when her "Papa" was stationed in North Dakota, with the U.S. Air Force. (It's just so far from the beach...)

She attended LDS Business College, and belonged to the U of U chapter of "Kappa Theta." She loved to dance, and went out dancing at least once a week during that time.

Stephanie overcame a difficult childhood to become a fantastic and inspired wife and mother, who always had something fun planned, and always had time for her kids. Stephanie loved being a mom, and was dedicated to loving her six children, no matter what. She instilled in them a love of life, and a respect for self and for others. She passed on to them a love and appreciation for the beauty of Nature and all of God's Creation, as well as her love of drawing, painting and pottery.

Stephanie taught her children of their Divine heritage, to live life with faith, kindness and creativity, to embrace their inner weirdo, and to stand up for what they believe.

She herself had an unwavering faith in Jesus Christ, and in His Gospel, which she lived consistently, fearlessly and unapologetically, every day of her life. Even while battling a fifteen-year, relentless decline in health, Stephanie was undaunted, optimistic, hopeful and inspiring. She got up and danced to one song, in the bedroom, every day that she had the energy to do so.

She is survived by her husband, Erik, her children, Courtney, Preston, Britton, Ethan and Riley, and was preceded in death by her second daughter, Haley, who died in infancy. Stephanie is also survived by her "Papa," Jorge Casillas, her older brother, Anthony Bingham, and younger brother and sister Jeremy Casillas and Jennifer Casillas, as well as many, many extended family and dear friends.

Steff was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and served diligently and cheerfully in many capacities therein throughout her life, and really loved that sense of community and belonging.

She was a dedicated, loving, supportive, patient and beguiling wife and co-conspirator of thirty-five short years. She had the wisdom of a prophet, the beauty of a goddess, the humor of a genius, and the faith of a disciple, and she left a sudden, jagged, gaping, empty hole in the lives of all that love her.

If parades happen in Heaven, it happened in grand fashion the day that she, having fought the good fight, laid down her beautiful, tired Earth-Suit, and returned with rejoicing to that God who created us all.

We look to the day that we will be joyfully reunited, as an Eternal Family, with Stephanie and all our loved ones, after we have faithfully done all that we can do: following the example of our Lord, Jesus Christ, to the best of our ability.

Interment at Riverview Cemetery, Portland, Oregon. After which: a dance party, per Stephanie's specific instructions, ratified by pinky-swear.