Luda Mae Stephens, age 88, of Mount Gilead died Sunday morning, June 27, 2010 at the Morrow County Hospital Extended Facility.
She was born on March 29, 1922 in Blaine, Kentucky the daughter of the late Merdith and Emma (Morrison) Edwards.
As 1 of 13 children, Luda grew up in Blaine and attended their high school until an illness in the family forced her to drop out and help take care of her siblings.
Luda was a young lady in grade school when she met and became friends with Douglas Stephens. Throughout the years their friendship blossomed and they were married June 15, 1942. They just celebrated 68 years of marriage; all told, their marriage and friendship has spanned nearly 80 years!
While Douglas proudly served his country, Luda worked in a shoe factory in Portsmouth, Ohio and in a canning factory in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Shortly after the war Douglas and Luda moved to north central Ohio and began raising a family. They have three boys and lived in Marengo and Sunbury before moving to Mount Gilead in 1985.
She took great pride in her family and the time spent together, especially Thanksgiving when they would gather together and she would cook the most wonderful feast. When asked what her specialty was, the family had difficulty picking one particular dish, but if forced to choose, her fried chicken and sweet potatoes where excellent. They said everything she made was amazing and when her health no longer allowed her to cook Thanksgiving dinner they could not believe that what she had done on her own now took several people.
A faithful Christian woman, Luda was a member of the Mount Gilead Church of Christ where she was part of the church cleaning crew. So many of the words used to describe Luda; loving, patient, prayerful, unselfish, serving, and sacrificing, are words used in the Bible to describe those that are committed to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
She will be missed by her husband Douglas, their three sons, Bill and his wife Amy of Delaware, Michael and his wife Carol of Galena, and Steve and his wife Rachel of Rock Island, Illinois; nine grandchildren Chris, Paul, Lisa, Lori, Jason, Amy, Erin, Amanda, and Julie; 22 great grandchildren; and 2 great-great grandchildren; and her sister Eliza Ferguson of Blain, Kentucky.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by 11 brothers and sisters.
Friends may call on the family on Thursday July 1, 2010 from 3-7 p.m. at the Snyder Funeral Homes, Craven Chapel, 67 North Main Street, Mount Gilead. Funeral services will be held on Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the Mount Gilead Church of Christ, 322 Iberia Street, Mount Gilead, Ohio 43338 with her sons, Pastors Bill and Steve Stephens officiating. Burial will follow in Rivercliff Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the church.
For those wishing to express their condolences to Luda’s family, you may do so by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
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