Stephen Vincent Conley

Stephen Vincent Conley, 62, of Freeport, Illinois, passed away on September 13, 2025, in Naperville, Illinois, after a brief and unfair battle with esophageal cancer.

A memorial service and celebration of Stephen's life will be held on Monday, October 27, 2025, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 1500 Brookdale Road, Naperville, IL 60563. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by the funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. and a luncheon.

Born to Carol M. (Kottra) Conley and Stephen H. Conley, Stephen was the eldest of five children and the pickiest eater of them all. He grew up in Freeport, playing golf and baseball at Freeport High School (Class of 1981).

It was in speech class that he realized the value of his sharp wit and humor beyond making friends laugh (and occasionally irritating his teachers.) He won a number of local and state awards in the Speech to Entertain category. Stephen studied at Highland Community College and later graduated from Northwestern University's theater program. He trained under Second City director Del Close and went on to act, write, and direct in theater, improv, and stand-up.

Stephen leveraged his improvisational skills working in hospitality, where he built his career. Whether serving, bartending, managing, or cooking, his charm and timing always shone through. He spent 16 years in Chicago and 24 years in Los Angeles, working on high-profile events including the Governors Ball for the Oscars and Emmys.

Stephen cultivated a lifelong, deep spiritual practice rooted in A Course in Miracles, ancient and mystical texts, and The 12-Step Program. Driven by his quest for truth, he actively participated in spiritual community sharing his passion for universal truth through a daily program on TikTok @stevosees and YouTube at StephenC.

He will be remembered first for his love of God; for his humor, quick wit, and loyalty; and for his love of reading and bringing people together.

Stephen is survived by his mother, Carol M. (Kottra) Conley; his siblings, Phillip Conley, Christopher Conley, Michelle Curry, and Dau Windwater; nephew Carlos Conley and nieces Cilia Conley and Dylan Curry; and his beloved companion of 19 years, Beth Schneider, along with her family. He was preceded in death by his father, Stephen H. Conley.

In lieu of flowers, please share your memories and photos of Stephen at legacy.com and consider making a contribution in his honor to a charity of your choice.