STEPHENSON, BARBARA LYNN (1948 ~ 2016). The following is an obituary for Barbara Stephenson, spouse of Texas House Member Phyllip Wayne Stephenson. The obituary was provided by Wharton Funeral Home of Wharton, Texas.
Barbara Lynn Stephenson, 68, of Wharton, passed away Sunday, September 25, 2016, in Wharton, Texas from complications related to Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy. Barbara was born on July 29, 1948, to Lewis and Hope Cormmie Jarvis in Amherst, Texas.
While Barbara was the only a child of Lewis and Hope Jarvis, Lewis passed away in 1961. Hope remarried in 1962 to Dr. Wayne Hardy. Barbara was raised in Levelland, Texas, where she graduated high school in 1965. She moved to Dallas in 1972, in order to marry her sweetheart, and husband Phil Stephenson, who today is a State Representative of Texas.
The Stephenson family moved to Wharton in 1974, just weeks after the birth of their oldest child, Scott. Allison followed a couple years later. Barbara earned her Associate’s degree in Interior Design from The Art Institute of Houston. Her life’s work was making her community a better place. She loved volunteering for various organizations, including the Little League and Babe Ruth Boards, Bright Minds, Wharton Swim Team board, Republican Women organizations, Wharton Country Club, and also helped organize a community troop rally during the Iraq War. When she wasn’t volunteering, she was relaxing with a good book at their vacation home in Rockport, Texas. Her grandchildren were the light of her life and she spent many happy hours enjoying her role as a devoted grandmother.
Barbara was preceded in death by her mother, Hope Hardy; father, Lewis Jarvis; and step-father Dr. Wayne Hardy.
Barbara is survived by her husband, Phil Stephenson of Wharton; daughter Allison and Chris LeGrand of Sugar Land; son, Scott and Tammy Stephenson of Wharton; step-brothers, Wayne and Bonnie Hardy of Irving and Dan and Vanessa Hardy of Deland, FL; and grandchildren Lindsey, Meagan and Blake LeGrand and Matthew, Tyler and Kaitlyn Stephenson.
Visitation will be held from 5 till 7 pm at Wharton Funeral Home on Thursday, September 29, 2016. Funeral Services will be held Friday, September 30, 2016 at 2 pm at First United Methodist Church in Wharton with Rev. Shelli Williams officiating. Burial will follow on Saturday October 1, 2016 at 12 noon at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, TX.
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a neurologic condition where amyloid protein is deposited in the walls of the brain’s blood vessels. This abnormal collection of protein weakens the blood vessel wall and can lead to blood vessel rupture and bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). At this time, there are no known treatments for CAA or the hemorrhagic stroke that CAA can cause. Though we can prevent hemorrhagic stroke due to high blood pressure, we currently cannot prevent bleeding due to CAA. At this time, what doctors can do is limit damage after bleeding occurs and improve recovery. Further research is critical to understand this disease better so we can develop prevention methods and treatment in the future.
In Lieu of Flowers donations can be made to:
UT Health PO Box 1321 Attn: “Stroke Research- Dr. Gonzales.” Houston, TX 77251-1321
Checks should include in the memo for whom the gift is being made in memory of and then mailed.
Funeral services under the direction of Wharton Funeral Home. Condolences may be left at www. whartonfuneralhome.com.
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