The family of Stephen Edward Babelay will receive friends 5-7 p.m. today (10/17/22) at Bridges Funeral Home, 5430 Rutledge Pike, followed by a memorial service at 7 p.m. Mr. Babelay, 79, died from complications of Alzheimer’s on October 8, 2022.
As the fourth-generation owner of J.P. Babelay Greenhouses, Stephen honored his family’s farming legacy and expanded the business. If he did not have the tool or machine to complete a project, he would build it. He was a strong member of his community, serving on the board of Farmers Mutual Insurance and being an active member of the Philippine-American Association of East Tennessee to show his support for two of his adopted children.
He came from a Swiss, Scots-Irish background and was interested in the family history that his brother, David, spent so much time exploring. The Babelay family attended Shannondale Presbyterian Church, and Stephen was a member of Fountain City Presbyterian Church when he passed.
Survived by wife Sylvia; son, Weston Babelay (Penny); daughter, Teresa McCullough (Josh); grandson, Tyson; sister, Sarah Weber and others. The full obituary is here.