John Donald Stephens DDS

Remembering Uncle John:

Dr. John Donald Stephens was the second son of Ella May Loflin and Dr George Stephens. His older brother James Alden Stephens and my mother Caroline Stephens were the first and second children. Through Ella May Loflin our family is connected to the Alden family of the Mayflower. Little is know by me of Dr George Stephens’ ancestry.
As a child, I may have seen John and his first wife Edith on maybe three or four occasions. Usually these events were when he and his first wife were on their way to another duty station with the Army. We did visit him once while he was stationed at Fort Ord, CA. At the time I was interested in rocks. He presented me with examples of Jade from a vein located on Fort Ord property.
Uncle John, with the help of a favored professor entered college without the prerequisite math classes. His professor and mentor arranged for him to make up the math class during his first semester. That allowed him to enter the dental program, which he successfully completed. Upon entry in to the U.S. Army, just before Pearl Harbor, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. After the war, he continued serving in the Army. He completed his service retiring at the rank of Colonel.
In 1990, I joined a company who liked to have their sales meeting in the south. Several were in Florida. On those trips, I arranged to return to the west coast from Atlanta and had the opportunity to visit with him and his wife. My mother warned me that he had very little sense of humor. After my first visit, she asked me about the trip and how we got along, since my sense of humor is much more ribald than his. While true that Uncle John was more reserved than I, I found him to have a well developed subtle sense of humor that melded with that of his wife, Edith. I came to appreciate them both.
As a result of these trips, I was able to stop along the way between Florida and Atlanta to visit Jimmy Carter’s Library in Plains, GA, the Steven Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, in Florida and other relatives in Jacksonville and Shreveport. I was able to visit a former colleague now retired to the Atlanta area.
After the passing of his first wife and his brother James, he married Aunt Olivia, the wife of his brother James. This brings up a few interesting questions: Caroline, formerly his niece is now his step daughter. So did she now call him uncle or daddy? She confirmed that she could not break the old habit of calling him “Uncle”. As for Aunt Olivia, she didn’t even have to change her last name. This second marriage proved to grow with admiration for both of them, and over time seemed to have a profound change in his outlook on life, and his sense of humor.
I was privileged to escort Uncle John to a Loflin family reunion in Eros, LA a few years ago. Never knew we had so many relatives in Louisiana and surrounding states.
Uncle John you will be missed by an appreciative nephew, with whom you shared stories of your childhood, the depression, your military experiences and stories of the family.
Although not there in person I want to thank all who are in attendance here today.
I want to express my special thanks to the honor guard from Fort Polk, as I went through basic training there in 1965.
Anita and I want to assure you that our thoughts a prayers are with you today. May God grant you his love and peace at this time of remembrance.

The Final Salute

“Brothers in Arms”, Military men and women down through the centuries, have traditionally exchanged “Hand Salutes” as a sign of recognition and as a way to render courtesy and respect one to another.

This “Hand Salute” is the last that we shall render to Dr. John Donald Stephens our “Brother-in-Arms”. To his family it symbolizes the love and respect that we have for Dr. Stephens. And to Dr. Stephens it is rendered as a symbol of honor and gratitude to thank him for the devoted and selfless service he rendered to his country during WW-II while serving in the U.S. Army. Dr. Stephens, we bid you a sad farewell. You will be dearly missed from among our ranks. Be at Ease. Rest in Peace.

On behalf of the 1,307 members of Lowe-McFarlane Post 14 of the American Legion, I extend our sympathies and our condolences to Dr. Stephens’s family and loved ones.

Dennis Engdahl, Commander, American Legion Post 14
5315 S. Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport, LA 71109