Obituary of Arlene Stephens

Centerville, GA: Arlene Johnson Stephens, beloved wife of David Stephens, went home to be with the Lord on May 12, 2007. She was a talented musician, seamstress, decorator, gardener, ardent animal lover and environmentalist. She has fought cancer since September 1997 and showed all who knew her how to live, and die, with grace. Arlene was born in Tacoma, Washington on April 10th , 1955. As the daughter of a U.S. Army officer, her early life was spent in several places including Bordeaux, France and Ogden, Utah. Due to the death of her parents at the age of 6 she and her sisters went to live with her grandparents, Nathan and Jewel Yarbrough in Pineville, Louisiana where she lived until she graduated from Tioga High School in 1973. She studied piano and organ at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, then moved to Shreveport, Louisiana in 1975 where she was an accountant for Arkla Gas. She was active in the Shreveport Jaycees, holding several local, state and regional offices. In 1994 Arlene moved to Beavercreek, Ohio where she was a cost estimator for Modern Technologies Corporation MTC. It was at MTC that Arlene met Dave, the love of her life. They were married in a sunset ceremony on the beach in Kauai, Hawaii on October 7th, 1996. Arlene was active in Victory Baptist Church in Beavercreek, playing the organ for services even though the cancer weakened her body. Arlene & Dave have lived in Centerville since April 2001. The Stephens are members of the First Baptist Church in Centerville. Arlene is survived by her husband Dave, sisters Janine Dunlap and husband Bill and Nadine Thomas, sisters-in-law Tammy Wilson and husband Steve, Kathy Tingley and husband Paul, and Donna Brown, her mother-in-law Marjorie Stephens, nieces Laurene Shamblin and daughters Katie and Lily, Lindsey Williams and husband Nathan, Jessica Sambrano and husband Moises and nephews Michael Douglas, Steven Wilson, Nicholas Delawder, Brandon Tingley and Brent Tingley. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the First Baptist Church, 108 Church Street, Centerville, Georgia on Saturday, May 19th at 10am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund, and Heart of Georgia Hospice. Heritage Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.