Rev. Richard Stephens, 78, Lutheran pastor

The Rev. Richard D. Stephens, 78, of Harleysville, retired pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Kulpsville, died Thursday, Sept. 9, of kidney cancer at Grand View Hospital in Sellersville.

Pastor Stephens graduated from Germantown High School and earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from Pennsylvania State University, where he was active in the Lutheran Student Association.

He worked briefly as a civilian for the Army Corps of Engineers on a Delaware River flood-control project before entering Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia. After graduating in 1960, he ministered at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Philadelphia for 12 years.

From 1972 to 2000, he was pastor of Christ Lutheran Church. He focused on evangelism through youth and seniors programs; social ministry; and church-community programs, including the Christ Lutheran softball team and the church day-care center, his family said.

He also established a sister-church relationship between Christ Lutheran and Mediator Lutheran Church in North Philadelphia, his family said.

For five years after retiring from Christ Lutheran, Pastor Stephens was an assistant to the bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

He continued to be active at Christ Lutheran and volunteered in the Shepherd Shelf Food Pantry. Last year, he and a son, Daniel, participated in a Hurricane Katrina relief project in New Orleans.

He found great joy in cultivating roses and tending to his vegetable garden and fruit trees, his family said, and was an enthusiastic fan of Penn State football and the Phillies. He was a former member of the Towamencin Fire Company.

Besides his son Daniel, Pastor Stephens is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nancy May Doersam Stephens; a daughter, June Alderfer; sons Warren and Edward; a sister; and 10 grandchildren.

A funeral will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at Christ Lutheran Church, 2211 Sumneytown Pike, Kulpsville, Pa. 19443. Friends may call from 10 a.m. Donations may be made to the church.