John Kent Stephenson

Services will be held on Saturday, March 19th at 2 p.m. at the Yelm United Methodist Church in Yelm, WA.

In lieu of flowers, donations my be made to the United Services Organization (USO) or to the Yelm United Methodist Church.

John was born on June 17, 1931, to J. Arthur and Lucile Stephenson in Adams County, Ohio. In 1945, at the age of 14, he earned his Eagle Scout. It was also around this time that he began running the Rifle Range at Camp Oyo (Boy Scouts of America) near Portsmouth, Ohio. When he was 15, he enlisted in National Guard of Ohio. In 1949, he graduated from Manchester High School in southern Ohio.

John continued his military career when he enlisted in the Air Force. In 1950 he was appointed to West Point by Representative James H. Polk. He became an Air Force pilot flying C124 and C130 aircraft. In 1961 he completed his Master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering. His duty stations included Reese AFB, Texas; Travis AFB, CA; Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio; Dover AFB, DE; Kinshasa, Zaire, Africa; Andrews AFB, MD; and finally Department of Defense, Washington, DC. John retired as a Lt. Colonel with 24 years of military service.

After his military retirement, John and his wife Jean established a home in Yelm, WA. For over 35 years he owned and operated Estate Realty in Yelm.

John is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jean; his children, Debi (Ralph) Shultz of Yelm; Colonel Mike Stephenson (US Army Retired) of Olympia; and Gwen (Jimmy) Hodges of Morehead City, NC; his grandchildren, Betsy Shultz of Lacey; Becky (Andrew) McNichols of Escondido, CA; Maggie (JJ) Johnson of Morehead City, NC; and Daniel Hodges of Charlotte, NC; step-daughter-in-law Corie Skau of Tacoma; step-grandchildren Erik Skau of Yelm; Jonathan Skau of Spanaway; and Eileen Kelly of Spanaway; and 3 great-grandchildren. He was proceeded in death by both of his parents; his daughter “Randi” Stephenson; and his step-son Norm Skau.

Arrangements under the direction of Mills & Mills Funeral Home and Memorial Park, Tumwater, WA.