Obituary of Kathryn Stephens

    Kathryn Jean Stephens went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 in Ontario, OR.  Arrangements are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette, Idaho.

    Kathryn was born on May 9, 1932, in Bentonville, Arkansas to Acey Eugene McCool and Bernice Albertine Sommars McCool.  She was the oldest of four sisters and was always happiest when she was spending time with her three sisters, her children and grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

    Kathryn married the love of her life, Theodore Edward Stephens, on May 12, 1948.  Their daughter, Patsy Jean, was born one year later, on April 21, 1949.  Not long after Patsy was born, they took a trip to Nyssa, Oregon to visit her mother and eventually decided to move there.  They lived the next few years in Nyssa, Oregon, or Apple Valley, Idaho and on May 15, 1955, Pamela Kay was added to the family.

    Kathryn was always well known for her love of children and after she lost her husband, she ran a day care from her home for about 12 years. 

    She is survived by her daughters, Patsy (Merv) Leavitt  of Fruitland; Pamela (Greg) Perdue of Fruitland; 8 grandchildren, Jayme (Bruce) Rhodes of Fruitland; Kerri (Micah) Smith of Suisan City, California; Adam (Tracie) Hicks of Kennewick, Washington; Heather (Jeff) Swope of Fruitland; Tara Leavitt (Tyson Baxter) of Fruitland; Ashli Perdue of Nampa, Idaho; Cody (Shawnee) Perdue of Boise, Idaho; Madison Perdue of Eugene, Oregon; great-grandchildren are Kevin Rhodes of Twin Falls, Idaho and Makenzie (Caleb) Richards of Albany, Oregon; Cami Smith of Payette, Idaho, Cassidy (Shawn) Parker of Suisan City, California, Jade Walker of Salem, Oregon, and AJ Smith of Suisan City, California; Brodey Hicks of Moses Lake, Washington, Larson (Katie) Watia of Vancouver, Washington, Gunnar and Zander Ohler of Kennewick, Washington; Alli (Stuart) Johnson of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Gracie Swope of Fruitland; Kobe, Kalaya, Kason and Kendalynn Baxter of Fruitland; Jackson Lake of Nampa, Idaho; Lucas and Madeleine Perdue of Boise, Idaho; great-great grandchildren are Joslyn Smith of Payette, Idaho; Islay and Sadie Richards of Albany, Oregon.  Kathryn is also survived by her sisters, Virginia Edwards of Anderson, Missouri and Betty Coursey of Boise, Idaho.  She is survived by a brother-in-law, Willis Wiley, formerly of Nampa, Idaho and currently residing in Twin Falls, Idaho.  Also survived by many nieces and nephews, all that she dearly loved.

    Loved ones gone on before are her parents, her husband, Ed Stephens, sister, Elaine Wiley, nieces Diana Bean and Joni Wright, brothers-in-law Popeye Edwards and Burl Coursey