Elaine Stephens

Waynesville, Elaine Francis Stephens of Waynesville passed away on Monday, November 8, 2010, at Haywood County Hospital, after a brief illness. Born May 17, 1932 in Waynesville, she was the daughter of J. Harley Francis and Beatrice McDaniel Francis. She graduated from Waynesville High School and attended the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, where she studied biology. After graduation, she worked as a laboratory technician at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, St. Joseph's Hospital in Asheville, and the Haywood County Hospital in Waynesville. In 1958, she married William K. Stephens of Canton. They were married 45 years. The Stephens family moved to Hamilton, Ohio, in 1969; to Houston, Texas, in 1979; and back to Haywood County in 1985. Wherever she was living, Mrs. Stephens was completely devoted to her family and to her church. After her children were grown, she studied library science at the University of Tennessee and worked for several years at the Haywood County Public Library. With her husband and later with her son William, Mrs. Stephens delivered Meals on Wheels in Waynesville for more than 10 years. She was an active member of Central United Methodist Church in Canton and a member of the Rowe Henry Sunday School class. Mrs. Stephens was preceded in death by her husband and by a sister, Virginia Francis, and a brother, T. L. Francis. She is survived by her children, Elisabeth Stephens and her husband, William Moss, of Winston- Salem; William F. Stephens, of the home; and Chriss Stephens and his wife, Deborah Booth, of Issaquah, Washington. She is also survived by three beloved grandchildren, Beatrice Moss and Cora Moss of Winston-Salem and Spenser William Stephens of Issaquah; a devoted brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Rebecca Francis of Waynesville; her brother- and sister-in-law Dr. and Mrs. Louis M. Stephens of Clinton, S. C.; and sister-in-law Beth Brookings Francis of Panama City Beach, Florida. She also leaves to remember her many dear friends in Christ at Central United Methodist. A celebration of her life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 11, 2010, in the chapel of Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville with Reverend David Christy officiating. A private interment will be held at Western North Carolina Veterans' Cemetery in Black Mountain. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 792, Canton, NC 28716 or to Haywood County Meals on Wheels, 486 East Marshall St., Waynesville, NC 28786.

Previous Events