Obituary of Stephen John Barone

Stephen John "Steve" Barone, surrounded by his wife and sons, went home to be with the Lord on March 31, 2022. Steve was born on October 3, 1954 in Worcester, Massachusetts to parents, John and Martha (Ellis) Barone . Steve grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts and attended St. John's Preparatory Academy. As a child, Steve was an avid baseball, football, and golf player. He found joy in the world of competitive sports. After attending St. John's, Steve attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he majored in Communications and Broadcasting. Steve was determined to become a "play-by-play" sportscaster, and he devoted his career to covering and reporting on the games he loved so very much. After graduating from University of Massachusetts, Magna Cum Laude, he briefly worked in radio in New Hampshire. While in New Hampshire, Steve felt called to serve the Lord, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, before attending Word of Life Bible College in Schroon Lake, New York. After attending divinity school, Steve toured the United States for two years with Word of Life, preaching the gospel, with a focus on mentoring troubled and at-risk youth.After divinity school and ministry work, Steve started the first Christian broadcasting station in the state of Vermont. After this, Steve returned to the world of sports broadcasting, where he quickly became a well-recognized and beloved voice over Vermont's airwaves, and a well-respected member of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters. Steve was given the honor of becoming the official voice of the American Basketball Association's Vermont Frost Heaves, who became three-time ABA champions during his tenure with them. In 2006, Steve met his wife, Gabrielle, the love of his life, who he would marry in July of 2008. Steve, always the epitome of kindness and compassion, became a father to Gabrielle's two sons, Jonathan and Jameson, who he adopted as his own, and mentored and guided them into adulthood and after. After a few more years in Vermont, Steve and Gabrielle moved to Wilmington, North Carolina and settled into a beautiful historic home in the downtown area of the city. While in Wilmington, Steve started his own marketing and advertising firm, Cornerstone Marketing Group. In addition to owning his own firm, Steve dedicated himself to public service, by volunteering his own time to sit on the executive boards of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Youth for Christ, and The Alzheimer's Association. Steve also started a basketball ministry program for men in the Wilmington area. Steve's devotion to the Lord led him to preach the gospel to these men, many of whom became followers of Christ as a result of his ministry. Steve, an avid hockey player, was a member of the Wilmington Police Department's Blue Liner's charity hockey team and competed with them in several games and events.After learning of his illness, Steve and Gabrielle made the decision to move to Colorado Springs, Colorado, both for medical care and because Steve always loved the mountains and snow. For the last year of his life, Steve got to live life to its fullest despite his valiant battle with metastatic prostate cancer, surrounded by his family, most importantly his loving wife, Gabrielle.Steve is preceded in death by his father, John Barone and his mother, Martha Ellis, both of Worcester, Massachusetts.Steve is survived by his wife, Gabrielle Barone, his two sons, Jonathan Hutchins of Littleton, Colorado and Jameson Hutchins of Wilmington, North Carolina; his brother, Joseph Barone of Newton, Massachusetts and sister, Christine Barone of Watertown, Massachusetts. In addition to his family, he is missed by several friends and colleagues across the United States.Visitation, 5:00PM-7:00PM, Thursday, April 7, 2022, The Springs Funeral Services, 3115 East Platte Avenue.Funeral Services, 11:00AM, Friday, April 8, 2022, First Presbyterian Church, 219 East Bijou Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado.Graveside Services, 1:00PM, Friday, April 8, 2022, Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 Hancock Expressway, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Events Visitation Thursday, April 7, 2022 5:00PM - 7:00PM The Springs Funeral Services 3115 East Platte Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Phone: 719-207-8855 Funeral Service Friday, April 8, 2022 11:00AM First Presbyterian Church 219 E. Bijou Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-884-6100 Graveside Friday, April 8, 2022 1:00PM Evergreen Cemetery 1005 Hancock Expressway Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-578-6646