Helen M. Stephens

Helen was born November 13, 1939, in Audubon Township, IL to Roy E. and Edna P. (Workman) Davis. She married Gerald “Jerry” Stephens on August 7, 1965. She is survived by her children, Angie (Charlie) Larson of Hudson, WI, Jeff (Janet) Stephens of Morton, IL, Jenni (Chet) Krupiarz of Traverse City, MI, and Jo Stephens of Phoenix, AZ; grandchildren, Charles Larson, Ryan Larson, Andrew Stephens, Amanda Stephens, Brianna (Roland) Hinzo, Bethany Krupiarz, and Cameron Krupiarz; sisters, Betty Edwards of Medora, IL, Shirley Coffee of Santa Maria, CA, and Elva Emmons of Edwardsville, IL; and brother, Donald E. (Beverly) Davis of Coffeen, IL. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Douglas R Stephens and sisters Rosetta Woods, Leavy Davis, Cleda Davis, Geneva Graden, Ila Becker, Vida Graham, Norma Keiser and Lilia Drew.

Helen graduated from Hillsboro (IL) High School in 1957 and attended Eastern Illinois University.

She and her husband Jerry established the Gerald D. & Helen M. Stephens Foundation, which has supported many organizations and causes. They created the Gerald and Helen Stephens Professorship in Wildlife endowment at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in memory of their son, Doug, who was a wildlife management student at the university. In 2008, their generosity led the OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria to dedicate its NICU as The Gerald D. and Helen M. Stephens Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Most recently they established the Gerald D. and Helen M. Stephens Directorship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Gerald D. and Helen M. Stephens Center for Stone Disease at the Brady Urological Institute, also at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm at the Davison-Fulton-Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home, 2408 West Willow Knolls Drive in Peoria. A funeral service will commence at 2:00pm with the Rev. Jack Thompson officiating. Burial will follow at Parkview Cemetery in Peoria.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home, 8630 N Illinois Route 91, Peoria, IL 61615.

Online condolences may be made at www.woolsey-wilton.com