First Lady Stephanie L. (Durant) Reaves

Lady Stephanie was born February 14, 1958 to Lottie Mae Durant and the late Harvey Henry Durant Sr. Lady Stephanie is a Florida native from the small town of Bealsville. Stephanie grew up in a household with two working parents which prompted her early cooking skills. With a mother skilled at cooking and a father that was an entrepreneur, both God fearing, she was destined to take these attributes and be successful. Her 50+ years in the food industry began at an early age. She gained experience not only cooking for neighbors but also working as a cook. In 1982, Lady Stephanie surrendered her life to Christ “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all its righteousness and all these things will be added” and things flourished from there. God took her knowledge of cooking and anointed it. Stephanie’s anointing for cooking food blessed her to be a restaurant manager for 25 years. God then elevated her from manager to owner and operator of a successful vegetable business for 15 years, to finally owning and operating a successful restaurant, Steph’s Southern Soul Restaurant that opened March 2013 in Dade City, Florida.

Lady Stephanie married her Boaz, Supt. Herold W. Reaves Sr. in 1993. In their 31 years of marriage, they shared the love of God with their children, grandchildren, family and friends. With much fasting and prayer, in 2002, Supt Reaves founded and continues to Pastor, Full Gospel Church of God In Christ. God gave Stephanie another position. As First Lady, she led the Young Women’s Christian Council (YWCC),Youth department and Prayer Warriors. She formerly served as the President of the Professional Business Women’s Federation, and continued to mentor women to love and serve God by living a holy Christian life. As a faithful, holy woman, wife , and mother of 5 children that lived by the word of God; Lady Stephanie has left an indelible impression on her business community, church family, friends and family through encouraging words, acts of kindness and charity. One of her favorite past times is gathering with family and pouring into her grandchildren. On Saturday, February 17, 2024, the Lord reached down into His garden and picked one of His fairest flowers to come home for eternal rest and receive her reward. " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of Righteousness , which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” II Timothy 4:7-8.

Lady Stephanie was preceded in death by: her father, Harvey Durant Sr.; 2 brothers, Harvey Durant Jr, and Bruce Durant; 1 sister, Zelda Durant; and 1 son, Christopher Reaves.

Lady Stephanie leaves to cherish her memory: her devoted husband, Herold W. Reaves Sr.; her loving mother, Lottie Mae Durant; mother-in-law, Ollie Jean Reaves; 2 sisters, Sylvia Bowers (Mike) and Sandra Graham (Ronald); 1 sister-in-law, Joyce Hipps (Eddie); 1 brother-in-law, Evon Reaves (Katrina); 2 aunts, Delores Clark and Shirley Broadnax; 1 great uncle, Benjamin Broadnax; 4 sons, Renaldo Williams (Sherica), Colonel Durant (Cassandra), Charlie Bellamy, and Herold Reaves Jr.; 1 daughter, Monique Brevard-Screen; god daughter, Kia Flowers; and very special friends, Pastor Harriet Clemons and Don MClain; and a host of grandkids, great grandkids, nieces, nephews, extended family, church family, and dear friends.

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