Stephen Salter

With heavy hearts, we announce that Stephen Phillip Salter, (62), of Auburn, AL passed from this world on February 24, 2025. A beloved son and brother, Stephen will always be remembered for the special bonds of love shared with his family. He was a devoted son and loving brother, who stayed closely in touch with his family, despite the miles that separated them.

Born in Tupelo, Mississippi on December 17,1962 to Ralph and Mary Frances Salter, he was the second of four children. From a very early age, he was an inventive child who was able to bring others around to his way of thinking. Just under four years old, he told his sister that “Heavenly God sent her first at his request so she could clean up for him” and while that sister was a bit annoyed at that, she did so many times over the early years. The Salter family moved to Amory, Mississippi in 1967, where Stephen lived until his early twenties. He enjoyed growing up in Amory, and spending time with friends there. He loved playing the trombone in the Amory High School Band. During that time, his interests and hobbies included building model planes and flying them, listening to music, target shooting, fishing and photography. He had a life-long love of reading and read voraciously about a tremendous variety of subjects.

After high school, he attended Itawamba Community College, Mississippi State University and Auburn University. Following in his father’s footsteps, he joined the Amory National Guard after graduating from high school. While serving as an officer in the National Guard, he was sent to Germany, a much-treasured experience. He drilled with the Amory unit for several years until travelling from Auburn became too difficult to balance with work.

In Auburn, he took a part-time job with Diversified Products, and found he had an aptitude for working with machines. Almost like a new hobby, he liked figuring out how machines worked and how to fix them or keep them running well and ended up working there full time for many years. Stephen was a machinist for Nashville Wire in recent years, until his death.

 In Auburn, he developed new friendships. If someone he cared about, friend or family, was interested in a subject, he immersed himself in learning about that subject as well to provide more common ground. He was reserved but confident, with a dry sense of humor that could catch you by surprise. He could talk for hours on end, bouncing from topic to topic, and time flew. He had many friends over the years with whom he shared ideas, meals and hobbies. He had many friends from other cultures and enjoyed learning about the customs and religious beliefs they cherished, and of course, trying the foods they loved. He raised questions to encourage viewing topics from a different perspective because he wanted everyone to think, and to challenge the status quo. He picked up more hobbies over the years, including woodworking, deep sea fishing, cooking, gardening, and piecing quilts. He studied his bible, striving always to gain spiritual insight and guidance, and was a fount of biblical knowledge. He loved animals and cherished the dogs he had over the years. Stephen was a special person who met others where they were and respected each for who they were. His intellect and genuine caring for others will be sorely missed.

Stephen leaves behind a loving family, including his mother, Mary Frances Salter, sister Karen Dixon (Mark), sister Kim Langley (Marty), brother Michael Salter (Raquel), nephew Luke Dixon (Bethany), nieces Kenzie Dixon and Abby Langley, aunt Betty Carr (Tommy) and many cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Salter.

A service to celebrate Stephen’s life will be held on Saturday, March 1st, at 2:00 PM at St. Andrews Methodist Church in Amory, Mississippi, with visitation being from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, that day. Burial will follow at Haughton Memorial Park in Amory. 

Memorials can be made to St. Andrews Methodist Church. Memories and condolences can be shared with his family at EEPickleFuneralHome.com.