Elizabeth Stephenson

Through the life she lived each day, Elizabeth Stephenson fully embraced every moment she was given while holding her loved ones close to her heart. Her warm demeanor and approachable spirit drew others near throughout her entire life. Family was of the utmost importance in her life, and although she treasured her role as a mother Elizabeth just may have argued that becoming a grandmother was the gift of a lifetime. Although she was a bit of a perfectionist, she balanced these tendencies with a great sense of humor, too. Elizabeth will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

It was during the first half of the 1940s that the eyes of our nation were focused overseas as countless young servicemen and women were heavily entrenched in the throes of WWII. Those who remained stateside became all too familiar with rationing on common goods and gathered around radios waiting for news from the front lines. Amidst this eventful time in our nation’s history a young couple from Mason, Michigan, was delighted with the birth of a healthy baby girl on August 21, 1943. Their joy took a different form, however, as her father was serving during the war and consequently didn’t meet his daughter until she was a year old. Elizabeth M. was the older of two children born to her parents, David and Donna (Swan) Woods, and she was raised in the family home alongside her brother, Kenneth. Her father was the former postmaster of Dansville while her mother focused her attention at home. The Woods family was close with one another end simply enjoyed being together.

In many ways Elizabeth experienced an upbringing that was typical for the youth of her generation. Each member of the family was responsible for some of the farm chores, which instilled a strong work ethic within Liz that would remain with her over the years. She was outgoing and talkative and made friends easily. She enjoyed making paper dolls and riding bikes into Dansville with friends. Liz was a student at local schools, and although she did not enjoy math she liked school in general - primarily the social part! Her high school years found her at Dansville Agricultural School where she played in the band. Elizabeth went on to graduate in the early sixties.

Life was forever changed for Elizabeth when she met and later married Allen Quillin. Together they were blessed with the births of two children, Robyn and Jeff. From the moment she became a mother it was a great fit for Elizabeth. She was an active part of her children’s lives, and it has been said that she was protective of them as well. Although her marriage ended in divorce after 17 years, Liz was forever grateful for the children they shared. In addition to caring for her family she worked at a variety of different jobs over the years as she enjoyed change and taking on new challenges.

Exciting changes were in store for Elizabeth when she met the man with whom she would share the best years of her life. His name was Jim Stephenson, and they met through a mutual friend on New Year’s Eve in 1983. A dating relationship ensued, and they were married on December 1, 1984. They were a great fit for one another and shared some of the same interests. After retiring, Liz and Jim brought a motorhome and traveled all over the United States. They loved sightseeing and enjoyed meeting new people while on their trips as she genuinely loved getting to know everyone she met. Later in life she was also thrilled to become a grandmother and looked forward to seeing her grandchildren whenever she could.

All who knew Elizabeth would agree that she was an extraordinary woman to know and love. From the time she was a young girl she was a great listener who was very observant and intuitive with a positive outlook on life. Not only was Liz kind, but she was ever mindful of the feelings of those around her.

Liz and her loved ones were given a tough pill to swallow when she was diagnosed with bone cancer in January of this year. It was just a short time later that the war waged against her became too great, and she drew her last breath.

Elizabeth Stephenson was a vibrant, fun-loving, and compassionate woman who had a great sense of humor and enjoyed telling a good joke. She worked hard, but she also took the time to enjoy life along the way. It was easy to see that Liz’s family that grew to include children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren was her greatest source of pride and joy. She will be forever remembered by many.

Elizabeth M. Stephenson died March 9, 2014. Elizabeth’s family includes her husband, James; children, Robyn (Roger) Estes of St. Johns, Jeff Quillin, Sandra Doerr, and David Stephenson, all of Lansing, and Dana (Greg) Krumm of St. Johns; 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren; brothers, Kenneth (Karen) Woods, Albert (Kelly) Moore and Bruce (Eileen) Moore, sister, Ina (Jim) Taylor, sister in law, Agnes Moore and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Tom Moore. Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, March 13, 2014, at Osgood Funeral Home, 104 E. Cass St., St. Johns, with burial following at Mt. Rest Cemetery with Rev. Cayle Beagle officiating. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home. In memory of Elizabeth, donations may be made to Meals On Wheels or Safe House of Clinton County. To learn more about Elizabeth and view her Life Story film, please visit her personal webpage at www/lifestorynet.com/memories/97909. The family was served by the Osgood Funeral Homes.