Gene Reid Stephenson

Judge Stephenson was born on December 17, 1934 to H.C. and Mabel Stephenson in Washington D.C. He lived as a child in Alabama and moved to Winter Park, Florida in 1945. He graduated from Winter Park High School in 1952 and Stetson University in 1956. While at Stetson University, he was the Captain and star halfback of the football team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. After a serious knee injury, he entered law school at Stetson University’s College of Law, where he graduated in 1959 with LL.B and Juris Doctorate degrees.

He married Grace Margaret Hulbert on October 26, 1968 in Maitland, Florida.

He was an attorney in Casselberry and a Municipal Judge for 11 years in Altamonte Springs and Longwood. He was a City Commissioner of the City of Altamonte Springs, County Attorney for Seminole County, City Attorney for Longwood and served as President of the Seminole County Bar Association. He practiced law at his own firm in Casselberry for 35 years.

In 1994, he was elected to the Circuit Court, 18th Judicial Circuit Court, where he served as a Juvenile Judge in Seminole County. He went on to serve in the Civil/Family/Probate/Criminal Division. Judge Stephenson implemented many programs that assisted troubled children such as P.I.L.O.T. and “Children Making Choices”. He received many letters of gratitude from children/teens/families he helped and was often referred to as a “fair” judge. In 2001, he founded the Seminole County Drug Court. Gene was instrumental in securing a $500,000 federal grant to fund the implementation of the Drug Court.

Judge Stephenson enjoyed the game of golf and as the college football season approached you would often hear “Roll Tide”. He commanded the room with his mischievous grin, huge sense of humor and infectious laugh. Gene also had a brief acting career in 2003 when he made a cameo appearance as a judge in the award winning movie Monster.

He is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Grace Hulbert Stephenson; four daughters- Kimberly (John) Ellward, Kristi (Steve) Underwood, Katherine Stephenson and Kelli Stephenson; Grandchildren- Aidan Mullen, Emma Mullen, Owen Mullen, Lucas Mullen and Liam Merrill; Siblings- Sonny Stephenson and Patricia Shea and numerous other relatives.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, November 24, 2014 at Baldwin- Fairchild Oaklawn, 5000 County Road 46A, Lake Mary, Florida. The services will be officiated by Tommy Novak.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

We will forever remember the genuine love and laughter he had in every moment he spent with us- we know that you will too.

You will be so very missed. We love you...