Allen Stephenson
Allen B. Stephenson, 90, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 in Greenville.
Born on August 17, 1924 and raised in Greenville, Allen was the son of A. B. and Lockett Price Stephenson. He attended Greenville schools, continued on to Rice University, but left school to join the Navy during WWII. After the war, he returned to Rice and graduated in 1948. He married Lucille Stephenson on June 12, 1948 and returned to Greenville to enter the family business, Stephenson Shoes. He sold the shoe business in 1965 and became Vice President of First Greenville National Bank, and later on was President of Colonial Bank of Greenville (now known as Alliance Bank). He later worked for several years at Texas Tax Data and later worked with son-in-law in his manufacturing business, Deco Trunk Company, from which he eventually retired.
Allen was active in various civic groups and organizations, including the U. S. Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) where he received their Distinguished Service Award in 1957, Kiwanis, United Fund, Kavanaugh United Methodist Church where he was on the administrative board as well as a Scoutmaster of Troop 316, the Greenville Club Lake Board of Directors, and was honored as Greenville’s Outstanding Young Man in 1957 and Worthy Citizen in 1965. He served as a board member of the YMCA and the Greenville Hospital Authority, both entities responsible respectively for planning, financing and building the YMCA located on Stanford Street and the Hunt County Hospital, now known as Hunt County Regional Medical Center of Greenville.
During his 65 years of marriage, Allen was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who enjoyed spending time with his family and friends during gatherings at home, at Greenville Club Lake and on vacations. He enjoyed sailing, fishing, dancing, traveling, playing card and board games, listening to Big Band music and Dixieland Jazz along with watching the Dallas Cowboys.
Allen was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille Stephenson, and is survived by his daughters, Carole Linkenauger and husband, Link, of Greenville and Kay Stephenson Tetu and husband, Bob, of Alexandria, VA; sons, Scott Stephenson of Richardson, and Gary Stephenson and wife, Kathleen, of Carrollton; 5 grandchildren, Jeff Linkenauger and wife Cathleen, Lindsey Linkenauger, Taylor and Robert Stephenson, Elizabeth Stephenson; 3 great-grandchildren, Zane and Olivia Linkenauger, and Lucy Linkenauger.
A memorial service will be held at Kavanaugh United Methodist Church on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 1:00 p.m., with a reception following. Services are under the direction of Coker-Mathews Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Kavanaugh United Methodist Church, 2516 Park St., Greenville, Texas 75401.