JUANITA H. STEPHENSON
Oct. 15, 1925-May 8, 2016
Juanita Howard Stephenson, resident of the Thunder Swamp/
Smith Chapel area near Mount Olive, passed away on Mother's Day, May 8, at Kitty Askins Hospice Center. She was 90 years of age.
She was born in Burke County to the late Bessie Havner Howard and the Rev. W.E. Howard, a United Methodist minister, and she was their only child. When in her mid-teenage years, her father was assigned to the Mount Olive area, and by that assignment, she caught the eye of J.C. Stephenson, a local farm boy. They wed in 1945 and remained on his family's farm until their deaths. The Stephenson family were longtime members of Smith Chapel United Methodist Church, and Mrs. Stephenson served in many capacities through the years.
Mrs. Stephenson is survived by her loving family, which includes a daughter, Gloria S. Wrenn of Mount Olive; four sons and daughters-in-law, Phillip and Janet Stephenson of Ocean Isle Beach, Donald and Glinda Stephenson of Fayetteville, Kent and Tammy Stephenson of Greenville, and Neal and Patricia Stephenson of Pell City, Ala.; six grandchildren, Jeffrey Scott Stephenson, Matt, Adam, Ben, Jessica and Kellie Stephenson; and a great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Betty Grace Stephenson, who died on her fourth birthday back in 1958, and a grandson, Walter N. Wrenn Jr., who passed away in 2007, as well as her parents and beloved husband.
Mrs. Stephenson's life will be remembered in a service to be held Thursday, May 12, at 11 a.m. at Tyndall Funeral Home, officiated by the Rev. Leland Heath Jr. and Page Wingfield, with burial following at Wayne Memorial Park. Visitation will be at the funeral home Wednesday, from 5 until 7 p.m., and at other times at the Stephenson homeplace.
Flowers are welcome, or memorial gifts may be made to Smith Chapel United Methodist Church, c/o Kim Sullivan, 4615 Giddensville Road, Faison, N.C. 28341.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on May 10, 2016 1:49 PM