Estelle Elaine Stephenson

Mom was born in Sioux Falls, SD. As a small child her family moved to a farm near Worthington where she grew up. She attended a one room farm school house with one teacher. At 15 she met our dad, Ray and married him 2 years later. She told the story of how he stopped for gas at her father’s Texaco station when he spotted her. They moved to Sioux City, IA for a short while, then to Sioux Falls. Dad built the house we lived in from scrap lumber from a torn down school house.  In 1956 there was a shortage of jobs and mom was expecting Barbara. His parents had visited California where there were jobs and better weather, no tornadoes or shoveling snow. We moved to Long Beach, then they bought the house in Lakewood where they spent the rest of their lives. 2 more boys were born, Carl and Gary and we all grew up in that house. They were married for 63 years.

Our mom loved the color red. Her favorite flower was carnation. As a child I had a red snow suit. Can’t lose a kid in a red snow suit. She preferred to be in the garden rather than domestic engineer.

Mom did like baking. She would let us lick the beaters. She made the best jelly roll. No easy task.

Thanks mom for life.

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