Mrs. Gladys Lorene Stephens

GLADYS LORENE STEPHENS, 88, of Burney, CA passed away on August 26, 2012 at Mayers Memorial Hospital in Long Term Care. Gladys was born in Stigler, Oklahoma on December 2, 1923. She spent her childhood in Stigler and moved to California in 1950 with her husband, Pastor Raymond Stephens, and two children, Cathelina and David.

Gladys assisted her husband with his ministry in the United Pentecostal Church in Willits for 30 years, with a short time in North Highlands, and another in Rio Dell. They came out of retirement to pastor the Burney church in 1998. Mrs. Stephens played piano and taught Sunday school as her ministry. While living in Willits, she also worked at Howard Memorial Hospital as a certified nursing assistant for a short period of time. She also worked as a food prep cook at the Willits Café’.

Gladys was well-known throughout the community as a gentle woman with a willing spirit to help others she encountered in daily life. Before she lost her eyesight due to diabetes, her creativeness showed in the many kinds of craft items that she sold and gave away.

She is preceded in death by her parents Tom and Ethel Wren of Stigler, four sisters, Freda Morris, Nona Osborn, Ermagene Bender, and Leola Powell, two brothers, Loyd and Eugene Wren, granddaughter Dana Jeffcoat , and grandson Duane McCoy. Survivors include husband Raymond, daughter Cathelina Hill of Riverside, son David McCoy of Bastrop, Louisiana, four grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren, and two sisters Shirley Denny and Mary Delay.

Services will be held at McDonald’s Chapel in Burney on Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Timothy Bledsoe, Sectional United Pentecostal Church Presbyter of Willits, CA will conduct the service. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery in McArthur. The family requests donations be made to the United Pentecostal Church in memory of Sister Stephens, a faithful servant of the Lord.