1934
Dale
2016
Dale Stephens
January 3, 1934 — September 11, 2016
Lifelong Sherman County, Kansas farmer and rancher Dale Stephens, 82, died Sunday, September 11, 2016.
Dale was born January 3, 1934, in Sherman County, the son of Frances (Kemp) and Rufus Oliver Stephens. He graduated from Kanorado High School with the class of 1952.
He and Iva Lee Rhoads were married on December 12, 1954, at the Christian Church in Goodland. For four years, Dale served his country in the United States Navy aboard the LSD Catamount. Part of his duty was Operation Redwing at the Pacific Proving Grounds in the South Pacific, where seventeen atomic tests were made, along with the first aerial hydrogen bomb test. He was decorated for three tours of duty in Korea and China Service.
He was the leader of the Prairie Dale 4-H Club for many years and president of the National Little Britches Rodeo Association for three years. Dale and Iva Lee received the Agri-Business Award in 1996. Dale was a Goodland Ambassador for many years and he so enjoyed his time with them. His memberships also included the Pleasant Home Church, north of Edson.
Preceding him in death were his parents; a sister Betty Locklear, and a brother-in-law Leon Silkman.
Surviving family includes his wife of sixty-one years Iva Lee Stephens of Goodland; son Larry Stephens of Goodland; daughter Joy Lynn Seemann and her husband Gary of Great Bend, Kansas; grandchildren Holly Whitaker and her husband Adam, Lacy Nemechek and her husband Brandon, A.J. Stephens, J.C. Zahradnick and his wife Beth. J.T. Zahradnick and his wife Becca, Jenni Penka and her husband Mark, Eric Seemann and his wife Whitney, Brian Seemann and his wife Wendy, Amanda Franklin and her husband Nathan; three sisters Twila Bishop and her husband Bill of McPherson; Irma Silkman of Burlington, Colorado; and Maxine Klein and her husband Bob of San Antonio, Texas.
The funeral will be Friday, September 16, at 10:30 AM MT, at Harvest Evangelical Free Church in Goodland, with Pastor Perry Baird and Pastor Brian Fugleberg officiating. Burial will follow in the Goodland Cemetery.
Friends may share their respects on Thursday, September 15, from 5:00 until 7:00 PM MT, at Koons Chapel in Goodland.
Memorials may be designated to Pleasant Home Church (for children’s activities) or to Harvest Evangelical Free Church (for children’s activities), and may be left at the services, or mailed to Koons Funeral Home, 211 N. Main, Goodland, KS 67735-1555.
Online condolences: www.koonsfuneralhome.com
Dale was born January 3, 1934, in Sherman County, the son of Frances (Kemp) and Rufus Oliver Stephens. He graduated from Kanorado High School with the class of 1952.
He and Iva Lee Rhoads were married on December 12, 1954, at the Christian Church in Goodland. For four years, Dale served his country in the United States Navy aboard the LSD Catamount. Part of his duty was Operation Redwing at the Pacific Proving Grounds in the South Pacific, where seventeen atomic tests were made, along with the first aerial hydrogen bomb test. He was decorated for three tours of duty in Korea and China Service.
He was the leader of the Prairie Dale 4-H Club for many years and president of the National Little Britches Rodeo Association for three years. Dale and Iva Lee received the Agri-Business Award in 1996. Dale was a Goodland Ambassador for many years and he so enjoyed his time with them. His memberships also included the Pleasant Home Church, north of Edson.
Preceding him in death were his parents; a sister Betty Locklear, and a brother-in-law Leon Silkman.
Surviving family includes his wife of sixty-one years Iva Lee Stephens of Goodland; son Larry Stephens of Goodland; daughter Joy Lynn Seemann and her husband Gary of Great Bend, Kansas; grandchildren Holly Whitaker and her husband Adam, Lacy Nemechek and her husband Brandon, A.J. Stephens, J.C. Zahradnick and his wife Beth. J.T. Zahradnick and his wife Becca, Jenni Penka and her husband Mark, Eric Seemann and his wife Whitney, Brian Seemann and his wife Wendy, Amanda Franklin and her husband Nathan; three sisters Twila Bishop and her husband Bill of McPherson; Irma Silkman of Burlington, Colorado; and Maxine Klein and her husband Bob of San Antonio, Texas.
The funeral will be Friday, September 16, at 10:30 AM MT, at Harvest Evangelical Free Church in Goodland, with Pastor Perry Baird and Pastor Brian Fugleberg officiating. Burial will follow in the Goodland Cemetery.
Friends may share their respects on Thursday, September 15, from 5:00 until 7:00 PM MT, at Koons Chapel in Goodland.
Memorials may be designated to Pleasant Home Church (for children’s activities) or to Harvest Evangelical Free Church (for children’s activities), and may be left at the services, or mailed to Koons Funeral Home, 211 N. Main, Goodland, KS 67735-1555.
Online condolences: www.koonsfuneralhome.com
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