Richard
Wayne Stephenson, 92, of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, died July 12, 2021.
He was born April 13, 1929, Christ Hospital, Topeka, Kansas, to Lee
Raymond and Ruby Alta Stephenson. He has been a resident of Eureka
Springs for the past fifteen years, after moving from Greensburg,
Kansas, where he was high school principal, then superintendent of
schools from 1966 to 1976. He later retired back to Greensburg after
twenty years in the lodging business, and became manager of the Big
Well. Richard was a member and lay speaker of the Greensburg United
Methodist Church. He was president of the Pratt Gideon Camp, Rotary,
Lions, and Chamber of Commerce. He served in the United States Navy from
1951-1955. He was a 1947 graduate of Alexander High School and a
graduate of Fort Hays State University (B.S. in 1957) and M.S. in
Educational Administration in 1961. He was a teacher/administrator in
four Kansas school districts from 1957 to 1976.
He married
Marjorie Ann Renz in 1951 in the Hope Lutheran Church in Rush Center,
Kansas. They were happily married for 69 years. Marjorie preceded him in
death on February 17, 2020. Also deceased: Richard’s parents and
stepfather (Henry Bott) and one grandson (Abe Foncannon). Survivors
include: daughters Ellen Stephenson and Jody Stephenson, son-in-law Ron
Lutz, son Jay Stephenson, all of Eureka Springs; grandson Ray (Ruth)
Stephenson of Manhattan, Kansas; sister Vera Mae (Ron) Williams of
Manhattan, Kansas.
A military inurnment will be held at the Fayetteville National Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to ECHO (Eureka Christian Health Outreach) of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.