Stephen C. Mervan

Stephen Mervan, 86, of Bethlehem, PA and Westfield, NJ passed away on December 16, 2011 at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ. He was born on November 24, 1925 in Bethlehem, son of the late John and Mary Mihala Mervan. He was the husband of Dolores Kerso Mervan. They celebrated 57 years together this past September.

Stephen worked in the Fabrication Department and Safety Engineering for Bethlehem Steel for 40 years before retiring in 1981. He was a gymnast and a member of the Catholic Sokols in his early years. He attended St. Cyril & Methodius Parochial School and graduated from Bethlehem Catholic High School in 1943. He was a parishioner at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in Bethlehem and Saint Helen's church in Westfield. In addition to being a Yankees fan, he was an avid fan of Lehigh University football and wrestling and was always a helping hand to the Lehigh Athletics Department. Stephen was a regular on the Lehigh basketball courts at lunchtime for decades. He was very proud of his family and Slovak heritage.

Stephen enlisted in the US Navy at 17 years of age and proudly served his country in WWII on the destroyer USS Hank DD702 from the date of its commissioning in August 1944. The Hank operated in the Pacific theater and participated in the Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa campaigns. The Hank fended off numerous kamikaze attacks and suffered the last kamikaze attack before the Japanese surrendered. Stephen was in a number of Japanese cities while the Hank was on occupation duty for four months through December 1945.

Stephen earned the Pacific Theater Ribbon four stars, American Theater Ribbon, Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon one star and a Kamikaze Survivor medal.

He will be remembered with much love and affection by his wife, Dolores, daughter, Carolyn wife of Quaid Kapadia of Westfield, NJ, and grandchildren, Alexandra, Alistair, and Andrew, son, Stephen Mervan husband of Lorraine of Mt. Lebanon, PA, and grandson, Matthew, and brother, Robert Labdik husband of Karen of Macungie, PA.

He was predeceased by his brother, John Mervan Jr., and sisters, Helen Mervan, and Mary Gress.

A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 PM on Tue, December 20 and also on Wed, December 21 at the Connell Funeral Home at 245 E Broad St, Bethlehem, PA 18018 followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM at the Incarnation of Our Lord Parish at 617 Pierce St, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Burial will be at Holy Saviour Cemetery, Bethlehem, PA.

Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the Disabled American Veterans www.dav.org and the American Heart Association www.heart.org.