JERRY STEPHENSON

Name: JERRY STEPHENSON

Entry Date: 60

Exit Date: 62

Rating:

Squad: 21

Status: D: 10/08/2016

“Jerry Fletcher Stephenson, 79, passed away on Saturday, October 8, 2016. Jerry was born in Erwin, North Carolina, on April 18, 1937, to Fletcher and Gladys Stephenson. In 1956, Jerry entered the United States Navy and while stationed at Barin Field, met the love of his life, Ella Mae McCauley, at a barn dance. They were married in 1958, had five children, and were married for 57 and a half years until her death on January 23, 2016.

While in the Navy, Jerry was an aviation mechanic and maintenance technician and a member of the VP-18 Flying Phantoms and VP-30 Pro’s Nest. He flew in the PV-2 aircraft and helped carry out missions all over the northern, southern, and western hemispheres in the 1960’s. After retiring from the Navy in 1975, he worked for NADEP until his retirement in the mid-nineties and then worked for Manheim Auction until his full retirement in 2010.

Jerry was an all around athlete who loved to play golf, and he even had three holes-in-one! He also played fast pitch softball, intramural flag football and basketball. Jerry loved history, geography, storytelling and was an avid map-reader.

Jerry was preceded in death by his wife, Ella Mae Stephenson, his parents, Fletcher and Gladys Stephenson, his brothers, Jack and Ricky Stephenson, and a sister, Dorothy Stephenson. He is survived by his five children, Susie Westney (Phil), Cindy Law (Larry), Kelly Reid, Gerri Christopher (Troy) and Vince Stephenson (Mike). He is also survived by his sister, Patsy Stephenson Grissett (Larry) and four grandchildren, Erica, Holly, Brittany and Brett.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at Pensacola Memorial Gardens. The family will receive visitors from 9:30 to 10:30 prior to the service. Burial with full military honors will take place at 11:45 at Barrancas National Cemetery.

The family would like to send a special thanks to Cheryl, Jason, Sharon and Meagan with Emerald Coast Hospice and Jody, Jennifer, Erica and all the girls at Emerald Gardens Assisted Living Facilities.”