Joseph C. Stephenson

Joseph C. Stephenson, 81, of Fallon, Nev., passed away Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, in Reno, Nev. He was born in Tyrone, N.M., in 1929 to Richard and Marianna Stephenson, the fifth of 10 children. The family moved to Atascadero in 1948, where they settled and most of his descendants live to this day. They were miners, so they moved to Atascadero because of the quick silver mines west of Templeton, but upon arriving in San Luis Obispo County, decided this was the place to settle permanently. Joe left California and made his way to Nevada with his wife, Corinne, where he worked as an underground miner and superintendant for many years. The two loved to travel the Western United States, as well as Mexico, but they loved to come to California as often as they could. Joe and his brothers were musically gifted and Joe''s choice of instrument was the mandolin. Joe is survived by his children Joel Stephenson and Justin Stephenson of Reno, Erlinda Bice, Joe Stephenson and Debra Stephenson of Paso Robles, Sandra Stephenson of Atascadero, JoAnn Vargas of San Miguel and Kathleen Varga, Jennifer Gray and Ronald Wischen of Oregon; 20 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren. He is also survived by two brothers Bill Stephenson of Atascadero and Bobby Stephenson of Oklahoma; and three sisters Amy Klupka of Ventura, Calif., Betty Nettleton ot Atascadero and Annie Howe of San Diego, Calif. He was preceded in death by his wife, Corinne Stephenson in March 2003. Per Joe''s instructions, there will be no service. His ashes have been interred - one half with his wife in Fallon and one half with his parents, Richard and Marianna Stephenson at Atascadero Cemetery.