Phillip Carlyle Stephenson

Phil was born to parents Helmer and Julia Stephenson early morning on December 30th, 1932, at a farmhouse near Crocker, South Dakota, a late arrival in a family of seven children.

In 1952, Phil graduated from Alpena High School where he excelled in basketball and baseball and where he lettered in football, his great passion. After high school, he attended Huron State College on a scholarship as a running back for the football team while majoring physical education, history, science, and religion. Phil served in the United States Army in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and later in Augsburg, Germany, as a squad leader in an artillery detachment.

In 1957, Phil married Barbara Jean Rose O’Leary. The couple had two sons, Gary and Ward.

Phil married Darlene Carter Long in 1972.

He worked for the Bureau of Reclamation as a construction inspector, transferring from South Dakota to Great Falls in 1965, enjoying his work-related travels around his beautiful adopted state of Montana. After 20 years with the Bureau, Phil retired in 1989 but shortly after returned to work for the 341st CES Missile Engineering Flight at Malmstrom Air Force Base where he inspected missile sites until his true retirement in 1997.

Through his working life and retirement, Phil never lost his love for sports especially football and most especially, his beloved Nebraska Cornhuskers. Along with sports, Phil enjoyed the companionship of numerous dogs and cats his entire life. The cats Frankie, Gus and Snickers will miss Phil’s special attention very much.

Along with his two sons Ward Stephenson and Gary Stephenson, Gary’s wife Nancy and her son Daniel (Gina) Gossett and Gary’s son Andrew Bott, Phil is survived by his wife Darlene Stephenson and four stepsons: Jeff (Rachel) Long, Jay, (Lea) Long, Jon (Barb) Long, and Joel Long; and their children, Josh Long, Baxter Long, Hannah Long, Sarah Long, Gillian Long, Deane Long, and Jenni Long. In Great Falls, Vern Linssen remained a great and loyal friend to Phil.

Cremation has occurred. A memorial is planned at a later date in Great Falls, Montana. For tributes to Phil, go to Allnutt.com.