Louisa McLean Stephens passed away peacefully on March 31 at the age of 96. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Sydney McLean; and her husband of 59 years, Dr. J.B. Stephens. She is survived by her 5 children and their spouses — John and Madelyn Stephens, Bill and Lynn Stephens, Dr. Chris and Nancy Stephens, Lisa Stephens Kilpatrick, Tim and Angela Stephens; her 9 Grandchildren — Holly Stephens Brown, Lauren Stephens Mills, Kate Stephens, Mac Stephens, Kevin Kilpatrick, Sydney Kilpatrick, Sam Kilpatrick, Dr. Caroline Stephens, Barclay Stephens; and her 5 Great Grand Children — Ryan, Ames, and Bowen Brown, Ford and Rollins Mills; along with many, many nieces and nephews.
Louisa was born in Maxton, NC, however much of her childhood was spent in Memphis, TN. After attending Queens college in Charlotte, she graduated from Rhodes College, where she was an active member of Chi Omega sorority. After graduation, she worked for American Airlines, married Dr. JB (“Steve”), and moved to Bangs, TX in 1947.
After moving to Bangs, Louisa’s passion for community involvement blossomed. She and Steve joined Bangs Methodist Church, where she remained a devoted member and follower of Jesus Christ. She taught Sunday School for all ages over the years, helping create fond memories for any child coming to the church, even taking her classes on Six Flags trips in addition to Sunday teaching. In the Bangs school system, Louisa was an early advocate for college prep classes, a member of the PTA, a frequent Class Mother, and was instrumental in founding the Bangs chapter of National Honor Society. You could always count on seeing her at games and events, recitals, and stock shows. She was a member of the Brownwood Country Club, an avid bridge player, and hosted many Bridge Club gatherings at her home. However, Louisa’s commitment to the community service extended far beyond local organizations – she spent many years serving the Red Cross’s Learn-To-Swim program, the Hospital Women’s Auxiliary, Medical Society Auxiliary, and Junior 20th Century. When the opportunity arose, Louisa and Steve loved to travel the world with family and friends, bringing home countless stories and photographs of places they visited.
Louisa’s final years were spent under the kind and loving care of Nokie Randle, at the Chatfield in Brownwood and Riverpoint in Kerrville, for which the family will be forever grateful. She made a positive impact on many lives in the community, and we will all miss her endless charm, grace, and sweet southern accent.
A memorial will be held for Louisa on Monday April 22, 2019 at 10:00am at Bangs Methodist Church. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the First United Methodist Church in Bangs or the American Red Cross.
