Mike's heart was in farming, raising beef cattle and hay on the family farm north of Liberty, Missouri. Additionally, Mike was a devoted outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing and traveling with his wife on their Harley Davidson motorcycle.
He was passionate about natural resource preservation.
On May 19, 2012, Mike married Lisa Mari Harper who survives at the home. Other survivors include his mother, Mary Stephenson-Matteson, stepfather Bill Matteson; sisters, Janet (Les) Bishop, Dixie (Kyle) Thomas, and Margie (Doug) Richards. Mike was witty and generous and loved spending time with his nieces, Tammy Walker, Tanya Hayes, Ashley (Josh) Tipton, and Kristy Richards and nephews Doug Richards and Austin (Amanda) Thomas, as well as stepchildren, Tisha (Chris) Robinson, Tami (Amy) Farmer, Timothy (Jennifer) Black and step grandchildren Hannah Stottler, Isabella Stottler, Christopher Robinson, Xavior Green, and Riley Green along with a host of other family and friends.
Mike was preceded by his father, Paul F. Stephenson; nephews, Dustin and Cody Thomas and his grandparents.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belford Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida, 32202 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 67904, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21741.
Visitation at Liberty United Methodist Church, 1001 Sunset Ave., Liberty, Missouri, on Thursday, January 15th from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will also be held at LUMC, Friday, January 16th at 11:00 a.m. followed directly by inurnment with Military Honors at White Chapel Cemetery, 6600 NE Antioch Road, Gladstone, Missouri.
