Adean Mull Stephens

Adean, 85, passed away peacefully in her sleep the morning of Saturday June 22, 2024, while in the care of Hospice. She was born in Fallston, Cleveland County, North Carolina on September 7, 1938, the eldest daughter of John William Mull and Edith Gladden Mull. Her twin sister, Christeen Mull, passed away just 9 months after they were born. Adean and her younger sisters, Francis and Joyce grew up in Morganton, North Carolina, where Adean graduated with honors from Morganton High School.

On February 25, 1961, Adean married Harry Gray Stephens of Waxhaw, North Carolina, who was truly the love of her life. They had many adventures together and were soul mates in many ways. They shared a love of animals and nature, rescuing orphans of all kinds, dogs, cats, birds, squirrels, rabbits, and all of God’s creatures. She was a devoted mother of two children and always welcomed in all the neighborhood kids as her own. She was the best mother in world with a huge imagination, who loved telling and reading stories, playing make believe, and encouraging her kids to dream big. Adean and Harry were married 47 years until his death in 2008.

Adean had retired in 2013 as the office manager for Dr. James Gibson’s Dentistry Office in Monroe and prior to that she had worked for many years as the manager of a Hallmark Shop in Monroe Mall and as the lead librarian for the Reaching Elderly and Preschoolers (REAP) program with the Union County Library. She loved interacting with the public and especially children and the elderly. As part of the REAP program, she visited preschools, daycares, senior centers, and nursing homes to present programs centered around books, reading, and storytelling. After leaving the REAP program, she continued to develop characters and storytelling programs as a volunteer and was well known throughout Union County as her Mother Goose character and the Lone Ranger. With her dear friend, Carolyn Elkins, who played Aunt Valentine Rose, they entertained children and elders for close to 25 years.

Adean, along with fellow writers Olive Howie and Norma Griffin, was one of the founding members of the Union County Writers Club in 1994. She was the author of beautiful poetry focused on nature and the human spirit and developed numerous children’s book manuscripts from her storytelling gift and colorful characters from her childhood, such as Plummer the Scarecrow. She brought lots of joy to children and elders in Union County.

She is survived by her two children, Sharon “Lori” Lorraine Stephens of Farmington, New Mexico and Timothy Gray Stephens of Waxhaw, North Carolina; and five beloved grandchildren: Kevin Bennett Reed of San Francisco, California, Sean Patrick Reed of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Anna Gray Stephens of Tucson, Arizona stationed at Davis Monthan Airforce Base, Alyssa Renee Stephens of Dallas, North Carolina, and Amani Byler of Charlotte; as well as her two sisters, Joyce M. Shull of Drexel, North Carolina and Francis Anne Shull of Newton, North Carolina.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Gray Stephens; infant son, Harry David Stephens; twin sister, Christeen Mull; and an infant brother, Kenneth Mull.

A service will be held on Friday, August 30 at Noon at the Western Carolina State Veteran’s Cemetery where her ashes will be placed next to her husband, Harry. The family would like to thank The Pines Assisted Living in Charlotte, Hospice of Mecklenburg County, and McEwen Funeral Home of Pineville for the care they gave to their beloved Mom and Nana.