Stephen Devereaux Weidler's Obituary
Stephen Devereaux Weidler went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on July 16, 2012, at the age of 18. Stephen was born on October 25, 1993 in Taipei, Taiwan to parents John and Kathleen Weidler. A true international child, Stephen loved growing up in Asia with his missionary parents and lived in such exotic spots as Xian, Chengdu and Lanzhou in China, and Taipei, Taiwan as well as spending several years in Singapore. During his life and travels, Stephen was blessed with being able to go SCUBA diving in one of the top ten diving spots in the world, visit Mount Everest, and ride a camel-all before he graduated from Chengdu International School. Stephen was active in school activities and, while performing the part of Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, discovered a deep love for the theatre and was looking forward to entering the theatre program at Vassar College in the fall. An avid reader from youth, Stephen’s excellent student record (AP Scholar with Distinction, commended student in PSAT, and a runner-up in the Questbridge scholarship) resulted in a substantial scholarship and several grants to the college. He performed in several plays in his school career, playing the part of Laurie in Little Women, portraying the great detective Sherlock Holmes in The Incredible Murder of Cardinal Tosca, and most recently shared the stage with his sister in a production of Twelfth Night as the fool, Feste. Shooting up to his eventual height of 6’2″ in his early teens, it was inevitable that he be recruited into the sport of basketball where he intimidated the other team’s players (especially in middle school) merely by walking onto the court even before showing his prowess in the sport. Along with his older brother, Stephen played a pivotal role in taking his middle school and high school teams to the championship level. Stephen is survived by his parents, John and Kathleen Weidler, two brothers and a sister, Philip Weidler, John Michael Weidler, and Melanie Weidler, along with his grandparents, John and Marilyn Weidler, Terry and Carolyn Allen, as well as an extended family of beloved aunts, uncles and cousins. Special Memories At 8 pounds, 15 1 1/2 ounces, Stephen’s mother once commented that he was the biggest baby she had brought into the world but the easiest baby she ever dealt with. Born in Taiwan while his father studied at seminary, he was known as “the smiling baby” by the other students. Stephen kept this sweet personality throughout his life. As a youngster, Stephen and his sister would stage stuffed animal “wars” against an opposing force of beanie babies, complete with toy weapons tied to their arms. His brother, JM, considered Stephen his very best friend. His father has rich memories of not only “talking sports” with Stephen, but also actively joining him in sports activities of scuba diving and coaching him in their varsity championship team. Stephen will be missed by many. Thank You To the numerous friends of the Weidler family that have come forward with words of love, affirmation, and support we thank you for the love you have shown during this most difficult time. So many have shared their love for Stephen, both in person and on his Facebook page. It is comforting to the family that he was so much loved. If you wish to order a copy of Stephen’s photo slide show, please call Restland Funeral Home at (972) 238-7111
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