Clifford Wayne Stephenson (2012)

BRECKENRIDGE, RIDOUT, SANFORD, SELF, STEMYHR, PHENSON

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 1/4/2013 at 12:29:36

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, January 02, 2013

CLIFFORD WAYNE STEPHENSON, Clear Lake, Iowa

Clifford Wayne Stephenson, 82, of Clear Lake, Iowa, died on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012, at Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake.

Clifford, the son of William and Lora (Ridout) Stephenson was born July 15, 1930, in Winterset. 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, Calif., 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 of Clear Lake; children: Joanne Self of Mohave Valley, Ariz.; Karen (Bruce) Sanford of Raymond, Maine; and William (Ryna) Stephenson, Sacramento, Calif.; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother, Robert (Della) Stephenson of Cherokee, Iowa; a sister, Sherry (Gary) Breckenridge of Lamont, Wash.; several nieces and nephews; brother-in-law Derwin (Eleanor) Myhr of Anacortes, Wash.; brother-in-law C.F. (Lucille) Myhr of Ocala, Fla.; and sister-in-law Lila Myhr of 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 in Clear Lake, Iowa, or Hospice of North Iowa.

Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, ColonialChapel.com.

Memorial
 

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