Stephanie J. (Flowers) Black

With broken hearts, the family of Stephanie Jean Flowers Black announce her passing on July 16, 2026, just a few weeks after her 58th birthday.

Born on June 26, 1968, Steph was the firstborn of Jerry and Linda Warner Flowers. Raised by her mom Linda alongside her sister Melissa and brother Scott, she grew up on Logging Road in Cape Neddick surrounded with the love of many members of the extended Warner family, playing with many cousins in the neighborhood as a child, and particularly enjoying frequent swims in the pool of her uncle Henry and aunt Ginny. She loved her grandparents, spending a lot of time with Mina Warner, as well as Reta and Hubert Flowers, with whom she is now reunited.

At a young age, she fell in love with drawing and painting, which led to her involvement in creating backdrops for school plays and making items for her family. After graduating from York High School in 1986, she quickly found her calling as a floral designer, a fitting profession for someone whose love of flowers reflected her maiden name. She had a remarkable gift for floral design, and whether she was creating special arrangements for someone’s wedding or just taking a handful of flowers from the backyard years after leaving the profession, she had an uncanny ability to transform flowers into beautiful works of art.

In 1987, she met her future husband and love of her life, Charlie Black II. They shared a bond of both having dads who were members of the Maine State Police, and formed a union that would last for the next 39 years. They spent nearly all of those years living in their hometown of York, but also had some short stays in Burlington, VT and Dover, NH before returning back home to York for good. Neither Steph nor Charlie were active members of any church, so it was fitting that they were married on the summit of Mount Agamenticus on August 23, 1997.

Gardening was one of Steph’s greatest pleasures. As spring emerged every year, she could not wait to get back out in the garden to get her hands dirty and tend her beautiful collection of flowers. Most people hate weeding their gardens, but not Steph. She found pleasure in this tedious task, and would often offer help to others who she heard complaining about having to withstand the drudgery of pulling the unwelcome weeds.

Steph was also a wonderfully creative cook. She could follow a recipe, but preferred to create things on her own, opening the refrigerator to see what ingredients she had on hand and effortlessly turning them into something delicious. She found real pleasure in cooking for others, and was particularly known for her famously delicious homemade macaroni and cheese.

Some of Steph’s happiest memories were made on Conary Island on the mid coast of Maine as a guest of the Holbrook family. She loved the simpleness of life on the island, and of course enjoyed cooking for a crowd in the large kitchen, which always seemed to have a gentle ocean breeze passing through. Steph would sometimes go on walks with others around the island, but often preferred to stay behind to whip up a feast for the guests as they returned from their adventures. You considered yourself lucky if you were fortunate enough to have a slice of her blueberry pie or, even better, a piece of her scrumptious blueberry buckle.

Anyone who ever spent time talking with Steph knew what an exceptional listener she was. Whether you were a lifelong friend or a complete stranger, she had a unique way of making you feel heard, and could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Her smile and laugh would light up a room, and she never made a person feel like their thoughts or problems were unimportant.

Steph loved and pampered the many cats that she shared her home with over the years, taking great comfort from their companionship, and always making them feel special and loved. Steph and Charlie were never blessed with the gift of children, but she had a deep maternal instinct which found its outlet in the love that she poured into her cats. She also loved the chickens that she and Charlie tended, and joked many times over the years about bringing them into the house when extreme cold temperatures arrived.

Music was another lifelong passion of Steph’s. She and Charlie attended many concerts over the years and together they had a vast library of records and CDs. She loved all types of music, but some of her favorites included the Grateful Dead, Warren Zevon, and Bob Marley. Music could be both a comfort and an escape for Steph, from the decades of pain that she endured.

   “One good thing about music,
   When it hits you feel no pain”
   -Bob Marley

Steph was a creative and talented artist and fiercely loyal to those she loved. She was a free spirit and an eclectic person with a witty, sometimes dark, sense of humor. She will be remembered for her kind heart, incredible artistic talents, and her quiet grace, which she often didn’t recognize in herself. She will be missed by all who knew her.  

Steph leaves behind to mourn her husband and partner of 39 years, Charlie Black II of York, ME; her Mom Linda Flowers of Kittery, ME; her sister Missi Taylor and her husband Mike of South Berwick, ME; her brother Scott Flowers and his wife Elizabeth of Berwick, ME; her mother-in-law Mary Andrews of York, ME; her niece Alyssa Black of Seabrook, NH who she looked upon as the daughter she was never able to have; and many more nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends. She also leaves behind her treasured furry and feathered family members, cats Zola, Meddybemps, and Lubec, and her-nine-year old chicken Sweetie.

One of Steph’s last acts of kindness was donating half of her birthday gift money to the nonprofit Trooper Black Foundation, which provides support to First Responders and their families going through difficult times. In keeping with her generous spirit, in lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor her memory are invited to make a donation to the Trooper Black Foundation by going to trooperblackfoundation.org or by mailing a check with “In memory of Steph” in the memo line to:
    Trooper Black Foundation
    P.O. Box 104
    Cape Neddick, ME 03902

Calling hours will be held from 6 to 8pm on Thursday, August 6th in the Lucas & Eaton Funeral Home, 91 Long Sands Rd., York, Maine.

A gathering for family and friends to share stories with each other will be held at 4pm on Saturday, August 8th on Mount Agamenticus.

Please wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and bring a beach chair.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Stephanie J. (Flowers) Black, please visit our floral store.