Patty Jo Stephens

Patty Jo "Pat" Stephens, 75, died Wednesday March 7, 2007 in a local hospital. A funeral service, with Reverend Dave Cruddas officiating, will be on Saturday, March 10, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. in The Hamil Family Funeral Home Chapel, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Burial will follow in the Buffalo Gap Cemetery under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home. There will be a visitation in the Funeral Home Chapel on Friday afternoon, March 9, 2007 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Pat was born in the Harmony Community, near Floydada, Texas, on October 16, 1931 to Virgil Ward and Sallie Bandy Hennessee. She attended school in Floydada and graduated from Floydada High School and then attended McMurry University. On December 28, 1956, Pat married James Henry "Steve" Stephens in Taylor County and the couple made Abilene their home. Pat began her working career at Grissom's Department Store and later began working for a special friend, Mike Denny, at Batjer and Associates. A long time member of Abilene Bible Church, Pat was loved by everyone who knew her, and will be missed by all. She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Cherie Lynn Hall; her husband, Steve; two sisters, Edna Hennessee and Mary Keck, and a brother, James Hennessee. Survivors include: three sisters, Lila Youngblood of LaMirada, CA, Jewel Taylor of Tulare, CA and Virginia Prichard and husband Sterling of Lubbock, TX; two grandchildren, Randy Rush and wife Bambi of Groesbeck, TX and Adrianne Kaneko and husband Dean of Mesa, AZ; five great-grandchildren, Leighton Rush, Brody Rush, Braxton Rush, Stephen Kaneko, and Lynn Kaneko; six nephews, Scott and daughter Tayla Prichard, Kiplan Prichard, David Keck, Dennis Taylor, Dale Youngblood, and Keith Youngblood; one niece, Jacquelyn Bixler and a sister in Christ, Janice Morton of Abilene. Memorials may be made to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 7361, Abilene South Camp, Abilene, Texas 79608-7361.