Gerald Stephens (Bolivar)'s Obituary
Gerald Frank Stephens was born on Dec. 6, 1919 on a farm south of Stockton, MO. to Lula Peach Stephens and John D. Stephens. Gerald passed away on March 6, 2019 at the Butterflied Assisted Living Facility at the age of 99 years and three months. Gerald's father,John passed away when Gerald was four, and two years after that, Lula married Frank Routh who became the only father Gerald knew and later, the beloved grandfather of his children. Gerald’s life ethic was forged in the coming years of hard work on the farm, a nurturing mother and a coming of age in the great depression which he always described as no money but always plenty of food. He graduated from Stockton high school in 1937, an accomplishment not shared by many of his neighbors and relatives, and went on to Springfield Teachers College, later SMS, later MSU. He taught for a while in a one-room country school before returning to college. His academic career was interrupted by the outbreak of war. He moved to Kansas City to work in an aircraft assembly plant where he caught the eye of a certain pretty farm girl from Kansas. He and Helen struck up a romance before he was accepted as a navy air corps pilot cadet. They married (against navy rules) secretly before going off for training. After his commissioning they spent the next months in Miami beach where he trained on amphibious aircraft that would rescue fighter pilots downed in the ocean in the invasion of Japan. The atomic bomb put an end to that. After the war, Gerald used the G.I. Bill to train as a professional photographer and open a studio in Bolivar in 1946. Over the next eighteen years, they bore three children that book ended the baby boom generation, in those and later years they grew a successful business, raised a happy family and enjoyed the fellowship with many dear friends. Gerald (Steve) and Helen retired in 1984, turning over the business to
their son Mark. Several years of relaxing retirement followed before Helen’s long slide into dementia, ending in 2012. Steve became especially close to and dependent on his children after Helen’s passing, especially enjoying visits from Meleah from California. His memory began to fade but he remained his real self to the end, full of good humor, gracious to everyone around him, steadfast to the principles that formed him. What a
life! Love, laughter, wife, family, business, health, friends, golf, church, rotary, music,travel, skiing, swimming… Steve took the ride we all dearly wish for ourselves. To say he will be missed is an understatement. Visitation for Gerald Stephens will be held Saturday, March 9, 2019 from 3-5 PM at the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, MO. A memorial service will be held Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 3 PM at the First Christian Church in Bolivar, MO. Memorial contributions in Gerald's honor can be made to the First Christian Church in Bolivar, MO. Visitation for Gerald Stephens will be held Saturday, March 9, 2019 from 3-5 PM at the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, MO. A memorial service will be held Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 3 PM at the First Christian Church in Bolivar, MO. Memorial contributions in Gerald's honor can be made to the First Christian Church in Bolivar, MO.
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