Garry Lee Stephens Tribute

This Written by Garry  9/1/1982

   March 11, 2008

I wanted to share a cute story that my brother Garry wrote. He had it framed and I found it at his home in Smartsville yesterday, while I was packing up the last of his things.  3/10/08 Yesterday was hard, the final trip to his property, and the 10th... one month he has been gone. It all still seems like a bad dream! I was glad I found this, it made the days end a bit better.




MY HAT


One early morning oh about five years ago, my father and I were sitting on the bank of Sacramento river, holding our fishing poles in our hand. I say holding our poles instead of fishing because, as usual we weren't catching a thing. We hadn't got a bite in the last six times out. I almost forgot what we were out there for. Getting up at 4:00 am and heading out to sit out on some cold, wet and soggy bank for 3 hours in total silence isn't my idea of exactly the most thrilling time of my life.
Well, anyway, we started B.S ing, since we both realized it wasn't very futile to go on any more and my dad apologized for the great fishing and said, Here son have my hat.
I was shocked, it was my fathers prize hat, he treasured it. I told him thanx and proceeded to put it on my head. It felt nice and comfortable. It wasn't the most beautiful hat, all white except for this patch that said, " Peterbuilt on it, but I loved it.
Every year I would go on vacation with my parents, While with them I would see some unique hat, something that no one else would get, and buy it. I treasure my hat collection, but of all the hats, I treasure that old " Peterbuilt" hat the most.



This written by Garry 9/1/1982

                                    GARRY LEE STEPHENS

               Beloved Son, Devoted Father, Brother and best friend

1965-2008

              Garry Lee Stephens, 42, of Smartsville, California,  (and most recently of San Francisco), passed away suddenly on February 10, 2008 at his residence. Born in Santa Ana, California. Garry graduated from Woodland High School in 1983.  He attended the First Church of the Nazarene as a youth.   He was a resident of the Yuba-Sutter area for 20 years. He was a retired commercial truck driver and a member of the Teamsters, Local 150, Sacramento.  He was a cross country line driver for Consolidated Freightway.   He served in the United States Army from 1983-86.  He is survived by his parents Harry and Bonnie Stephens of Bandon, Oregon, his sister Christina Hagle of Woodland, California, and his children; sons Gary Lee Stephens Jr., Trevor Keith Stephens, and Brady Alexander Stephens, a daughter Madeline Rose Stephens, and stepson Adam J. Wilson. 

Garry's free spirit, love of life and vibrant smile will be missed by all who knew and loved him. 

Milton Carpenter Funeral Home, Dixon, CA was in charge of arrangements and Garry was laid to rest at the Sacramento Valley VA National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620, on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 2:30 p.m.