Stephanie Vitale, 70, beloved wife and daughter, was called home to be with her Lord in heaven on August 2, 2024. Stephanie was born on September 29, 1953, to Agnes and Vito Saracino in Fairview, New Jersey. After graduation from High School, Stephanie's humble beginnings burst forth into a symphony of life pursuits. Poetry, creative writing, ballet, and music performance became her passions. With them she set forth for California to attend Ambassador College, earning a BA in Speech Communication. Stephanie was hired to be an assistant producer at Ambassador Television writing scripts, editing video and doing historical research. Stephanie went on to pursue a Master's degree with a double major in Speech Pathology and Modern Dance. In 1980, Stephanie met the love of her life and married Robert Vitale of New York on January 18, 1981. Stephanie's life's mission matured into providing compassion, comfort and service to those in need. From animal shelters to nursing homes, she fulfilled her Christian walk of service to others. Before retirement, Stephanie served as a librarian to the Sierra Madre California community. Her passion for writing poured out in editing books of local writers, curating the mystery novel collection of the library and teaching creative writing classes. Upon retirement Stephanie and her husband Robert chose the southwest landscape of Rio Rancho New Mexico as their home with Stephanie developing her cooking skills into the art of gourmet cooking. She is survived by her husband Robert and her sister-in-law, Anita. She will always be remembered by family and friends as one who cared with her whole heart and a grand sense of humor. She talked the talk AND walked the walk.
A memorial service will be held in her hometown in New Jersey in late September 2024.
Steve Frandsen (1975)
My condolences to Stephanie's family and friends. I knew her just a little bit at AC; we talked in the student center once or twice is all I remember. She seemed very nice. My sympathy.
Steve Frandsen
Gillian Bagg (Katz) (1974)
I was Stephanie's roommate in Ambassador College in 1974. She played the guitar and sang like an angel. She was brilliant. We had the same circle of friends for a while. After I left Ambassador, I didn't have contact with anyone for decades, not until the internet came about, then I found many former friends. How I looked and searched for Stephanie and was unable to find her. Now, today, when I opened the Ambassador College newsletter I was stunned and shocked to read of her passing, and so young. Rest in peace my dear friend. I have many fond memories of you and am so sorry I couldn't find you these last years to reconnect. So sad that we had the 50th reunion just a couple of weeks before you died. It would have been wonderful to see you there.
Mary Dean (Roscoe) (1973)
I quite agree with Gillian's comments. Stephanie was brilliant and very talented. I, too, have fond memories of her and was shocked to hear of her death.
Herbert Storck (1975)
When my friend Wesley White sent me a link to Stephanie’s obituary I was in a little shock. With some time and reflection, some memories began to be recalled. Stephanie enriched the lives of everyone she met.
Wesley described her as a renaissance gal: intelligent, talented, and beautiful. She sang and played in a trio in which he also played and sang in various locations on and off campus.
She introduced me to literature namely the prose of Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha an interest that I would resume again after a 30 year hiatus. She was also involved in other arts namely theatre at college. In the rehearsal picture that accompanies this post she plays the part of Miss Prism. I remember going to see the finished campus production.
She also inspired some amateur poetry in me that I published in the campus poetry publication called Touchstone.
The last time I saw and talked to her was in the early 1980s after she was married. She invited me to her place to meet her husband and for lunch. She was a gracious hostess and seemed to enjoy preparing food for others.
Wesley and I are certainly richer for our paths having crossed hers and we would both like to extend our condolences to her husband and sister-in-law.
(This scan is from the Portfolio December 1976 or 1977)