Patricia Stephens went home to be with the Lord on Friday January 9 2009 in Daytona Beach Florida after a painful and courageous battle with rheumatoid arthritis. Fittingly Patricia's husband of 56 years Merrit and their four children were at her bedside. The doctors and staff at Halifax Medical Center expressed how amazingly tough Patricia was to the very end of her difficult journey.
She was born Patricia Lou Jones in Owosso Michigan on August 14 1930 before spending most of the next 50 years in the Kalamazoo Michigan area. A graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School in 1948 she went on to attend Western Michigan University and work for The Upjohn Company and Pipp Memorial Hospital in Plainwell Michigan. But being a dedicated wife and nurturing mother were paramount throughout her adult life. Her favorite place on earth was wherever her family was.
Even during her most difficult times with rheumatoid she had a passion for helping others. Her physical beauty was eclipsed only by the beauty of her heart always living out the commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself." Her volunteer work in Daytona Beach included Florida Health Care City Island Library Center the Community Housing Research Board and Old Daytona Civic Association; in Kalamazoo she did work for the American Red Cross Borgess Hospital Women's Guild of First Congregational Church Milwood Little League and Milwood Cub Scouts. She also volunteered for Victoria Regional Hospital and the Texas Department of Human Services in Victoria Texas.
Patricia leaves her abundant love with husband Merrit their two sons Jeff and his wife Anna and Robert and his wife Lenore; two daughters Peggy Sparks and her husband Vern and Nancy Niewoonder and her husband Ron; and eight grandchildren Christopher Sparks; Michael and Trey Stephens; Stephen and Maggie Niewoonder; and Jacqueline Noelle and Robyn Stephens.
A memorial service will be held Monday at 2 p.m. at Baggett and Summers Funeral Home on 736 S. Beach Street in Daytona Beach (386-236-1100). The family will host a visitation Sunday from 3-4 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to The Arthritis Foundation (arthritis.org) M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston or Hospice of Volusia/Flagler. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Baggett Summers Funeral Home 736 S. Beach Street Daytona Beach FL 32114.