Don Walton Stephenson

Don Walton Stephenson, born Dec. 9,1944, died Aug. 16, 2021 at his Clayton home. Left behind are his wife Francine Johnson, step-children Victoria Brosseau of Raleigh and Rebecca Ewing of Durham, brother Fred Stephenson and wife Kathryn from Lookout Mountain GA, sister LaRue Whitley and husband Mike from Dunn NC., as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. His sister Hazel Creech is deceased. Don was the son of James Stephenson and Beatrice Langdon from Four Oaks.

Don was a biologist, an environmentalist and conservationist, an artist, a teacher, an army veteran, a naturalist, a poet, and a good conversationalist and humorist. Late in life he played guitar and sang in a bluegrass band.

Mr. Stephenson graduated from Four Oaks HS, and obtained a BS in Wildlife Biology and a MS in Zoology from NCSU. He worked as Principal Environmental Scientist with CP&L, Supervisory Fish/Wildlife Biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and for 26 yrs. was a biology instructor at Johnston Community College (JCC). In the army Don was Assistant Chief Computer in a battalion fire direction center.

Mr. Stephenson received many honors, including JCC Faculty Emeritus, JCC Faculty Association President, Frances Finch Hobart Award for Community Service, NC Comm. Colleges’ Teacher of the Year Award, Special Service Award Soil/Water Conservation District, and Special Service Award FWS. He served on the Clayton SECU Board of Directors and the Clayton Visual Arts council. He assisted with Keep Johnston County Beautiful projects and the Howell Woods development project.

Don was for several years, chairman of the Johnston County Committee of the Triangle Land Conservancy. He organized community efforts that raised money to purchase Flower Hill nature preserve. Despite all his awards, Don never lost his early sense of humility and self effacement. He enjoyed volunteering and gave it the same careful and energetic efforts as his career jobs.

Don was both a boy scout and scout leader. He was active in church including service director, deacon, and Sunday school teacher at Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church, and Church Council member and Education Committee chair at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. His spiritual life ran deep.

Memorial service will be held at 4:00 PM, Mon., August 23, McLaurin Funeral Home in Clayton, 12830 US 70 Business Hwy West. The family will receive friends and relatives immediately after the service at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Triangle Land Conservancy, 514 South Duke St. Durham, NC 27701 or to Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2723 Clark Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27607. In the absence of a gravesite, any flowers will be donated after the service. The family suggests planting a tree in Don’s memory.