Stephenson, Clifford Wayne

STEPHENSON, RIDOUT, MYHR

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 5/27/2013 at 23:17:02

Clifford Wayne Stephenson, 82, 15 Timberlane Drive, Clear Lake, Iowa, died
Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012 at Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake.

Clifford, son of William and Lora (Ridout) Stephenson was born July 15, 1930 in
Winterset, Iowa. He graduated from Winterset High School in 1948 and continued
his education at Drake University in Des Moines majoring in music. Cliff
enlisted in the Air Force in 1951 and was honorably discharged in
1955.

Cliff was united in marriage to Norma Jean Myhr, and to this union three
children were born, Joanne, Karen, and William. The family lived in the
Sacramento, Calif. area for many years where Cliff worked for Aerojet General,
then for the Federal Bureau of Land Management as a field engineer before
retiring in 1983.

Following retirement, Cliff opened his own hobby shop in Barstow, Calif., moving
to Clear Lake in 1992 where he continued the business until 1993.

Cliff's first love was music and theater. Throughout his life, the world was
graced with his magnificent basso-cantante and his skills as an entertainer. He
was a man of many interests, including model railroads, being a natural handyman
and do-it-yourselfer.

He was a member of the Galilean Lutheran Church in Clear Lake, professional
music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Gaslight Theater in Folsom, CA, a
docent at Sacramento Railroad Museum, and helped to found Hospice of Mojave
Valley in Barstow, Calif.

Cliff is survived by his wife, Norma Jean, Clear Lake; children, Joanne Self,
Mohave Valley, Ariz., Karen (Bruce) Sanford, Raymond, Maine, and William (Ryna)
Stephenson, Sacramento, Calif.; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren;
brother, Robert (Della) Stephenson, Cherokee, Iowa;
sister, Sherry (Gary) Breckenridge, Lamont, Wash.; several nieces and nephews;
brother-in-law, Derwin (Eleanor) Myhr, Anacortes, Wash.; brother-in-law, C.F.
(Lucille) Myhr, Ocala, Fla.; and sister-in-law, Lila Myhr, Sun City, Ariz.

He was predeceased by his parents; three sisters-in-law, Patricia,
Elizabeth and Margaret Myhr; brother-in-law, E.B. Myhr; and son-in-law,
Derwin Self.

Per Cliff’s wishes, cremation rites have been accorded and a memorial service
will be held at a later date. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may
be left in Cliff’s name to Galilean Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, or Hospice of
North Iowa.

Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.