Lydia Margaret Stephens passed away peacefully on March 4 at the age of 90, surrounded by friends and loved ones at Community Hospice in Jacksonville, Florida. She was born on July 27, 1927 to Allen W. Justice and Belle Thomas Justice in Trion, Georgia. She realized early on that her life-long dream was to become a school teacher.
She graduated from the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, then later if life received her Master’s Degree at Berry College in Rome, Georgia. She married James Harvey Stephens on May 29, 1948. She was a teacher for 35 years in the Trion and Pennville school systems. She also enjoyed doll collecting and traveling as her hobbies.
She is survived by a son and his wife, James R. Stephens and Georgina Stephens of Virginia Beach, Virginia and a daughter, Denise L. Parker of Jacksonville, Florida. She has three grandchildren, Tanya Bense, James Webber and Giovanni Webber, one great-grandchild, Jacob Bense, also several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband and parents, her sisters Barbara Elliott, Dorothy Phitzer and brother John Allen Justice.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00am on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at Hardage-Giddens Edgewood Chapel, 729 S. Edgewood Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32205.
HARDAGE-GIDDENS, EDGEWOOD CHAPEL, 729 S. Edgewood Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32205, is serving the family.