Family, friends remember Belle Isle mother with sunflowers, tales of ‘glamorous’ woman

Few people inside Action Church in southeast Orlando wore black, preferring bright vibrant colors and prints of fauna and the sea. Nor were there many words of mourning, but instead mostly funny tales of a woman known for her contagious smile and glamorous yet approachable presence.

Because this was not a somber funeral, which was held following the death of Stephanie Hollingsworth, but a celebration of life for a woman whose passion for others and her Christian faith left an indelible stamp on all who met or knew of her, on what would’ve been her 51st birthday

About 100 people arrived at the Saturday afternoon memorial service led by Genesis Church Pastor Chad Harper, who’s been friends of her family for more than a decade. Tears were shed by the friends and relatives who took the stage along with those who attended, but the theme was to rejoice in her memory rather than mourn her loss.

“It’s OK to laugh. It’s OK to cry,” Harper said. “Because Stephanie taught us to do both.”

Originally from Oklahoma and later arriving in Orlando where she lived most of her adult life, Hollingsworth was described as someone dedicated to her family, faith and church, the ministries in which she passionately involved.

Her body was found three weeks after she was reported missing on Sept. 25, with her family led by her husband organizing daily search parties from a Walmart Supercenter on South Goldenrod Road. Her SUV was spotted in a retention pond about 8 miles away by drone operators who volunteered to help.

She was married to Scott Hollingsworth and is survived by him and their three sons.

Dozens joined the search effort throughout, many of whom attended the memorial service and stood to be recognized along with others who aided in the effort.

“All of you were not sure what you could do to help either, and many of you didn’t know Steph just like me,” said Melanie Miller, who had mutual friends with her and has since gotten close with her family while she was involved in the search. “But you just showed up.”

Authorities have not yet determined a cause of death, but Scott Hollingsworth told the audience that his wife had suffered from “demons in disguise.” Before she went missing, the 50-year-old mother was getting ready to undergo rehabilitation for alcohol treatment and suffered from anxiety and depression.

Following the service, he and Harper encouraged attendees to seek counseling and spiritual guidance if they were afflicted with mental health issues.

“We walked it, we lived it, and through all that I know Stephanie loved me and she cared about me,” Scott Hollingsworth said. “I was her biggest supporter, she was my biggest fan.”

But she diligently continued her service to her church and loved ones “in spite of or maybe even because of [her] infirmities,” said Pastor PJ Charles, who spoke at the memorial.

When Charles was beginning Straight Street, an organization aimed at providing resources to homeless people, he considered Stephanie Hollingsworth one of his biggest cheerleaders and described her as glamorous yet humble and generous.

“A smile like that, that’s a smile that’s war torn, that’s time-tested, that’s hard fought and hard won,” Charles said. “And she was proud of her faith. … How could her body hold her heart?”

Scott Hollingsworth also shared an email she had sent months ago to a family grieving the loss of a daughter. He read the email aloud, replacing references to the recipient with her name, calling it a message for everyone in the audience from her.

“I hope this brings you comfort to know that Stephanie opened the eyes of many hearts for a greater purpose,” the email said. “Know Stephanie is in a better place, a place we all long to arrive at some time.”

Throughout the rest of the service, friends and family voiced their love for Stephanie Hollingsworth through speeches and two video presentations, telling stories painting her personality and the love she offered for those with whom she interacted.

In one video, a friend remembered a time when she sent a necklace with a giraffe-shaped pendant, a nod to the person’s favorite animal. She also said she made sure her hair wasn’t brushed for the video in honor of Stephanie Hollingsworth, who once told her, “Wild hair is more fun.”

In another video Chad Chitwood, her younger brother, described his relationship with her as that of a friend and childhood partner.

Often, he said, he was the “subject at times of some questionable makeup applications." Other times, they would experiment with food, with Chitwood often working in the kitchen while other times she would make pastries in an Easy-Bake Oven.

“Thank you for all the memories, Steph,” Chitwood said. “And I’ll save you one last Easy-Bake Oven cake just for you. Happy birthday.”

creyes-rios@orlandosentinel.com

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