Lorraine Stephens

Mass of Christian Burial for Mrs. Lorraine Stephens, age 74, of Newcastle, will be held at 10:00am on Monday, August 29th 2011 at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, 3939 West Tecumseh Road, Norman.

Lorraine was born in Oklahoma City on May 3rd, 1937, the daughter of Lawrence and Betsy Johnson. She passed away early Thursday morning, August 25, 2011 at Rambling Oaks Assisted Living Center.

Lorraine was raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1958 she married her best friend, William Eugene Stephens. In 1965 Gene and Lorraine moved with their children, to Guam, where Gene was stationed until 1970. When moving back to Oklahoma, they settled in Newcastle, where Lorraine lived until 2009. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, where she sang in the choir. In 2009, Lorraine moved to Norman to Rambling Oaks assisted living center and stayed there until her passing. Lorraine was very creative, and had many talents.

She loved to read books, quilt, and paint. She helped found the Newcastle Quilter’s Guild in 1988. In the early 1980s she was the Editor of the Newcastle Pacer. Lorraine loved to tell stories, and in 2002 she started writing books, under the name Margaret B. Lawrence, and wrote and published three historical romance novels. She founded Wings Epress, Inc, where she was the Editor and Chief. At Rambling Oaks she rediscovered her love for quilting, and taught classes.

Survivors include her sons; Eric Stephens and his wife Janie, of Norman Oklahoma, and Matthew Stephens of Missouri, her brother Ben Johnson, and his wife Linda, her sister Helen Boydston and her husband Bob of Texas, Five Grandchildren, and Two Great-Grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Betsy Johnson, her brother Larry Johnson, her son Stephen and her best friend and husband of 35 years, William Eugene Stephens on May 22, 1993.

Arrangements are trusted to the care of Primrose Funeral Service, www.primrosefuneralservice.com.