Stephanie E. Bowers

Stephanie E. Bowers, 43, of Shepherdstown, passed away due to complications of Multiple Sclerosis on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016 at Willow Tree Manor in Charles Town. Her courageous battle was finally lost.

Born Feb. 6, 1973, in Martinsburg, she was the daughter of Joseph Spurgas and Ann Spurgas of Shepherdstown.

In her youth, Stephanie was active in 4-H and ballet.

She attended New Street United Methodist Church in Shepherdstown.

Stephanie was a 1991 graduate of Jefferson High School. After high school, she attended West Virginia University where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish. She was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, an academic honors organization that recognizes scholastic achievement among students of all academic fields. She later graduated from Salisbury University with a degree in Elementary Education.

After graduation from Salisbury, Stephanie was employed by the Jefferson County Board of Education as a teacher at Charles Town Middle School. While she was teaching there, she earned a Master’s degree in Communication from West Virginia University.

Eventually, the disabling effects of Multiple Sclerosis became so severe that Stephanie was unable to continue her teaching career and she retired.

A beautiful soul, great lady, sweet and bubbly person, huge presence and spirit, intelligent, witty and awesome and kind person are how her friends describe her. She was deeply loved by her family.

In addition to her parents, Stephanie is survived by her sister, Sarah Cooper and husband, Brian, and her nephews, Samuel and Jack, of Shepherdstown. Also surviving are her maternal grandmother, Ruth Orndorff, aunt, Margaret Rose Peterson and husband, Steve Smith and cousin Meg Peterson, all of Shepherdstown. Additionally, she is survived by her step grandmother, Tillie Orndorff of Winchester, Virginia; aunt, Sandra Grove and husband, Robert of Falling Waters and their children and uncle, Richard Spurgas and wife, Doris of Mooreville, North Carolina and their children.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Jack Orndorff and Marjorie and Joseph S. Spurgas and her aunt, Mary Ann Spurgas.

Services were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, at New Street United Methodist Church in Shepherdstown.

Interment was in Elmwood Cemetery, Shepherdstown.

Memorial donations in Stephanie’s memory may be made to New Street United Methodist Church, PO Box 188, Shepherdstown, WV 25443 or Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box F, Shepherdstown, WV 25443.

Arrangements were by the Melvin T. Strider Colonial Funeral Home, Charles Town.

Please sign the online guestbook and view her obituary at www.mtstrider.com.