Douglas R Stephens

October 26, 1940 - August 14, 2019

Douglas R. Stephens went to be with the Lord on the morning of Wednesday, August 14th, 2019, at the Villages of Jackson Creek in Independence, Missouri. He was born in Salem, Missouri on October 26, 1940 to parents, Rudolph and Myrtle (Shelton) Stephens. He married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Mentzel in 1960. He served in the U.S. Navy for four years in Newfoundland, Canada and Jacksonville, Florida as an air traffic controller. They had two daughters, Lauree and Lisa. After serving in the military, he later divorced, then drove for Texaco hauling gasoline, and for Consolidated Freight for a few years, and later started and ran a roofing company that he later retired from. He always kept busy. He played the guitar, banjo and ukulele, and loved playing music and singing sessions with his family and friends and even recorded a 45 record. He enjoyed bowling, woodcutting and the outdoors. He loved the Lord and was a devout Christian, spreading the Gospel of Christ to all. Douglas always surrounded himself with family. His love for his family and the Lord was immeasurable. He is survived: by his ex-wife, Patricia of Morristown, Tennessee, two daughters, Lauree of Grain Valley, Missouri and Lisa of Independence, Missouri, and seven grandchildren, Melissa, Douglas, Christopher, Eric, Tara, Tyler and Ryan, three great grandchildren, Oliver, Gracelyn and Nora, and his sister, Fern of Highland, Missouri. He is preceded in death by: sisters Ester, Elsie, Joyce and baby-brother Mark. Funeral is scheduled for 1:00 P.M., Friday, August 23rd, 2019 at James & Gahr Mortuary with visitation from 11:00 a.m. until service time. Burial will be at New Hope Cemetery, Salem, Missouri with full Military Honors.