Stephen F McGucken
Stephen passed quietly on April 16th surrounded by his wife, Cher, and daughter, Stephenie Eloise. Stephen Franklin grew up in Selma, AL. He often regaled friends and family with stories of his youth, including his memories of living in Selma during the Civil Rights movement. The story of his mother helping an African American pregnant woman to the hospital and then coming home to find a burning cross on the front yard was shared to those he met on his many adventures. The stories of his family and Selma drove a lot his beliefs and his care of people from all backgrounds. He retired from his ministry with United Methodist Church after 35 years. Stephen spent his retirement traveling, caring for his friends and family, and making family recipes.
Stephen’s ministry often centered on his seniors and taking them on adventures all over the world and the United States, exploring from the Holy Land and Egypt to Branson, MO and Yellowstone National Park. His love of travel continued into retirement: he loved exploring the United States with Cher and visiting the United Kingdom when Stephenie was in graduate school. Even with all of his international trips, one of his favorite places was always the backroads of Alabama, including the best hole-in-a-wall restaurants. Gee’s Bend is one of his favorite places in all of Alabama; his love of quilt-making in the region was inspired by the quilters of Gee’s Bend and his grandmother’s admiration for them. Wherever Stephen’s adventures took him, he never saw a roadside attraction he was not amazed by or antique store he could resist.
Before his call to ministry, Stephen studied to be a band director and his love of music continued throughout his life. Whether leading a hymn at church or serenading his nursing team at Huntsville Hospital, his voice was a blessing he loved to share. He and Cher agreed on bluegrass, but little other music on their adventures – unless it was Sunday morning when it was gospel music time. Stephen shared his love of the baritone with Tuba Christmas for several years, and was delighted when a young music student acquired his baritone after he retired from playing it officially.
Most weekends, Stephen could be found watching whatever football was on the television. He loved the Auburn Tigers and was disappointed when his daughter said Roll Tide Roll after her babysitter taught her the phrase at a young age. Stephen also enjoyed ghost stories, especially those told by Kathryn Tucker Windham.
His love for cooking and baking is typified by his miraculous fruitcake cookies, a family recipe he gleefully taught Stephenie last Thanksgiving. Normally a contentious dessert, Stephen’s fruitcake cookies won over even the most skeptical person. His love for Easter is personified by his colorful Easter marshmallow and white chocolate bark, as well as his love of Peeps and Easter baskets. For their first trip, Cher and Stephen went to Nashville to see the buffalo statues near Coliseum; the following Easter Cher assembled an Easter basket of stainless steel mixing bowls with Easter grass and sugary treats with a book on the American buffalo and an accompanying stuffed toy buffalo Nash, who became their travel mascot and grew a faithful social media following.
Visitation will be from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 19, 2026, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. The funeral service will be in Selma, AL.
Stephen always brightened every room he was in with his singing, stories, and love of people. If you would like to honor Stephen’s memory, we ask that you consider a donation to the Huntsville Hospital Foundation designating the gift for the Palliative Care Program, who ensured that we had tangible memories of him as we grieve our loss of a beloved husband, father, uncle, pastor, friend, musician, and storyteller. Donations may be mailed to Huntsville Hospital Foundation, 699 Gallatin Street, Building A., Huntsville, AL 35801, or made online at huntsvillehospitalfoundation.org.
