Foster F. Stephens

© Cheyenne Star

15 Oct 1998

Submitted by: Wanda Purcell

Graveside services for Foster F. Stephens, 91, of Clovis were held at Mission Garden of Memories. The Rev. Dr. Herbert Bergstrom officiated. Muffey Funeral Home handled arrangements.

Mr. Stephens died Sunday, October 4, 1998, at Sunrise High Plains Care and Rehabilitation Center. He was born August 18, 1907, in Indian territory of what is now Cheyenne, Oklahoma.

His parents were Betty Jane and Ezekiel Faris Stephens. His mother passed away when he was 2 years old. He lived with his maternal grandparents until he was 7 years old and then went to live with his father. They moved to Clovis in January 1920, later moving to Randvale in August 1922. He graduated from high school in 1927.

Stephens started his teaching career in Claude in 1928 and was at Center School from 1929 through 1934, then Portair School from 1934 through 1937. At Center and Portair Schools he was teacher, coach and principal of elementary grades.

In 1937, he moved to Eugene Field School to teach fifth grade.

He resigned in 1943 to go to work for the Santa Fe Railway as a yard clerk. He retired in 1972.

Stephens received his bachelor's degree and his lifetime New Mexico teachers certificate from West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas in 1938. Therewere five lifetime certificates issued in New Mexico at that time.

Lyda Mae Hanes and Foster Stephens were married August 20, 1933, in Clovis.

They were charter members of First United Methodist Church.

He was a member of the local chapter of National Association of Retired Veteran Railroad Employees and a founding member of the Curry county "42" League.

Mr. Stephens is survived by one son, Bob Smith of Iowa Park, Texas; two daughters, Carmelitta Gunther of Grand Junction, Colorado and Frances Spradlin of Grand Prairie, Texas; eleven grandchildren; twenty great grandchildren; and four great great grandchildren.

He was a cousin of Mr. Eldridge Calvert and the late Frank Calvert of Cheyenne.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lyda in March 1995 and by one daughter, Jane Barton.

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