Vanyla Jeanne (Wilson) Stephens

Vanyla Jeanne Stephens was born September 12, 1935 in Shenandoah, Iowa the daughter of Roland “Tex” and Helen (Erickson) Wilson. She passed away after a long illness on Monday July 9, 2018 in Kennewick, WA at the age of 82.

Vanyla was raised in Echo, Oregon and graduated from Echo high school in the class of 1954. She married Clarke “Corky” Stephens in August of 1954. They raised their family in Umatilla until moving to Pendleton in 1978. Vanyla worked at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Pendleton for twenty five years until retiring.

Vanyla loved her family dearly (especially her grandchildren) and enjoyed spending time with family and having the neighborhood kids at her house. She also liked cooking and being in the outdoors. 

She is survived by her husband of sixty three years Corky Stephens; son, Alan (Carol) Stephens, daughter, Debbie Stephens; grandchildren, Jeris (Amber) Stephens, Trevor (Sarah) Stephens,
Tim (Sarah) Neely, Randy (Katie) Neely, Robin (Todd) Winters and Aminda Neely; eleven great grandchildren and one great great grandchild; sisters, Beth Picard and Marilyn Pratt.

No services will be held per Vanyla’s request.

Memorial donations can be made to the Echo Museum, Chaplaincy Hospice House in Kennewick, WA or American Cancer Society.

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