Etta Leola Stephens

Etta Leola Stephens, 97, of Grants Pass, died Wednesday, August 2, 2006 at Royale Gardens Health & Rehabilitation Center, Grants Pass, Oregon.

A graveside service will be at 11:00 a.m., Monday, August 7, 2006 at Hawthorne Memorial Gardens with Rev. Lester Stephens officiating. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Etta was born April 14, 1909 in Wimer where she attended Mays Creek School, Evans Valley School, and Rogue River High School. On August 20, 1927 she married Earl Stephens in Medford and together they raised a family of five children. While in Wimer they farmed and had a dairy farm and in 1945 they moved to Madras where they farmed and raised cattle. In 1973 they moved to Murphy.

After retirement in 1965, she and her husband spent many years fishing at local lakes and RV traveling to the coast and an Alaskan trip.

Her hobbies included gardening and traveling.

Survivors include five children, Elgar Stephens of Lincoln, California, Charlotte Cloud of Culver; Irma Gregory of Molalla; Dorothy Wiley of LaVonia, Georgia; and Joyce Stephens of Murphy; two sisters, Mabel Rigel of Rogue River; and Florence Short of Grants Pass; 19 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-granddaughters.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Stephens in 1995; and three brothers, Vern Neathamer, Clarence Neathamer, and Wilson Neathamer.