Robert Stephenson Sr.

Robert Glen Stephenson, Sr. passed away on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Siena Center at St. Catherine’s Village in Madison, MS. He was 86 years old. Born on September 3, 1938, in Ackerman, MS, he grew up in Leland, MS where he graduated from Leland High School in 1956.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University in 1960. Upon graduation, he served active duty in the National Guard where he was stationed at Fort Jackson, SC. He was later employed with U.S. Gypsum Company in Greenville, MS, and Swift and Company in Shreveport, LA, and various cities in Texas. In 1965, he received his Master of Arts degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Alabama before starting his counseling career with the Vocational Rehabilitation Division, Mississippi Department of Education, in Greenville, MS.

In August 1965, Robert married Fay Tanksley, and they resided in Greenville, where they began nearly 60 years of marriage. He accepted a job with the Veterans Administration in 1969 and moved to Memphis, TN where he worked as a Counseling Psychologist. In 1982, he transferred to Nashville, TN to work in the V.A. Central Office. He retired in 1995 after more than 25 years with the Veterans Administration and they moved to Madison, MS. He then worked with the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services before his final retirement in 2002, and moved to Lake Martin in Jacksons Gap, AL.

Robert was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and boating with his sons and grandchildren. During retirement, he and Fay enjoyed living on the lake, traveling to visit family and friends, and taking exciting vacations. They eventually moved back to Madison in 2013, and later to St. Catherine’s Village in 2023. They thoroughly enjoyed the Independent Living community at St. Catherine’s where they participated in numerous activities and quickly made new friends. The staff at St. Catherine’s became an extension of their family. The Stephenson family wishes to express their deepest appreciation and love to the staff at Siena Center, as well as the entire St. Catherine’s family. The gracious, kind, and compassionate care extended during the past few months will never be forgotten.

A strong personal faith in God and love for his family was evident in the way Robert lived his life. He and a friend started a unique bus ministry for unchurched and underprivileged children in Memphis and brought them to church each Sunday. This was an experience he enjoyed with his sons. He was always involved in his church, serving as Sunday School teacher, Deacon, and attending various Bible Study groups throughout his life. He was an active member of Broadmoor Baptist Church for the last 13 years of his life.

He was deeply loved by his family and friends and was a positive influence on all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jester and Eunie Lee Stephenson, brothers Eugene and Bruce, sister Linda Hall, and granddaughter Savannah. Robert is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 60 years, Fay; their children, Bob (Janet) and Greg (Jennifer); seven grandchildren, Noble, Robert, Elizabeth, Fisher, Charles, Jed, and Sage; one great-granddaughter, Wren; and beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at Parkway Funeral Home in Ridgeland from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, with service immediately following. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to the Center for Hope and Healing (CHH) at Broadmoor Baptist Church, P.O. Box 2501, Madison, MS 39110, or to a charity of your choice.