Leontyna Stephens

Leontyna “Tina” Stephens, born September 17, 1934, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2025. She was born in Wielajka, Poland to Jan and Leontyna Krupski, and was a Registered Nurse, something she was incredibly proud of. In 1961, she moved from Poland to Newport, New Hampshire with her son, Henry. In Newport, she was the lead dyer at Door Woolen Company and was responsible for overseeing the production and development of fabric colors . In 1985, she moved to New Jersey with her husband, Edwin Stephens. She enjoyed going to see musicals and plays on Broadway, and going on flights in Ed’s plane after he retired from the Air Force. In 1992, Tina and Ed moved back to New Hampshire, where their house became the center of all family parties, celebrations, and holidays. You could always find Tina cooking Polish feasts for family, neighbors, and new friends, and meals often finished with her famous cheesecake. She enjoyed gardening, maintained a beautiful yard with a variety of plants and trees, and would always have a large crop of tomatoes and flowers. You could sometimes find her gardening in her favorite leopard print high heels. She loved being surrounded by animals and always had a dog or cat by her side.

Tina was predeceased by her brother Janek Krupski and husbands Wictor Koziell and Ed Stephens. She is survived by sister Jadzia “Jay” Pietrzak; son Henry and Margaret Koziel; her granddaughter Katherine Koziel and Julien Marchese; grandson Christopher Koziel and Julie Ludwig; daughter Christine Wilkinson; nephew Jason Pietrzak, Anne, Prinia, and Sova.

Visitation will be held on Monday, March 24, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Phaneuf Funeral Home, 243 Hanover St., Manchester, NH. Burial will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to RiverWoods Durham or your local animal shelter.