Longtime Del Norte resident Barbara Jean Stephenson, 76, died July 27, 2014 at the Rio Grande Hospital in Del Norte.
Barbara was born to Joe Hamilton Dillard and Gladys May Mead Dillard on January 19, 1938 in Phoenix, Arizona. She married her husband of 61 years, Kenneth Stephenson on July 14, 1953 in Hastings, Nebraska.
Barbara worked for many years with her husband Ken in their Insurance Business as an Office Manager.
Barbara was baptized on April 29, 1959 in Colorado Springs as a Jehovah’s Witness. She was active in the Kingdom Hall as well as the ministry and enjoyed sharing the kingdom hope with others.
She was a devoted, loving, classy and nurturing mother and grandmother. She loved her grandchildren dearly. In her spare time she enjoyed painting, quilting and embroidery and playing card games, especially pinochle. Barbara was well known for her hospitality. She was a member of the Choctaw Indian Nation of Oklahoma. Her grandfather was an original enrollee on the Dawes Rolls.
Barbara is survived by her husband Kenneth Stephenson of Del Norte; her children Brenda (Steve) Gates of Del Norte, Cynthia (Richard) Cline, David (Tammy) Stephenson of Palisade, CO, James (Linda) Stephenson of Monte Vista, Melissa Romero of Alamosa and Melinda (Steve) Chavez of Alamosa; her sisters Joan (Willis) Schmidt of Montana, Sherra Dawn Owens of New Mexico; as well as 13 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her grandson Kevin Gates and her great-grandson Landon Hatcher.
A Memorial Service will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 2, 2014 at the Alamosa Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.