Casey Stephenson, owner of Warner Company Jewelers in Fresno, Calif., succumbed to cancer after a yearlong battle. He was 52.

Stephenson started working in the jewelry business at age 14 and quickly worked his way into a sales position. By the time he was 22, Stephenson owned his own Casey’s Jewelers stores in Lemoore and Hanford, Calif. He managed all aspects of the company, including sales, watch repair, accounting, and marketing.

In 1993, Stephenson acquired Warner Company Jewelers from the Warner family and moved the store to Fig Garden Village in Fresno that year. Stephenson’s goal was to create an upscale store. In 2007, he moved the store to the corner of Palm and Herndon in Fresno, where it became one of the largest independent luxury jewelers in the region. His company grew to nearly 50 employees and was honored nationally in Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country magazines.

Stephenson is survived by his mother, Virginia, a son, Cameron, and a daughter, Lindsi.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the California Cancer Center, 7257 N. Fresno St., Fresno, CA 93720.