Stephens

Ron Stephens died Feb. 12 at his home in Bozeman, Mont., following a number of years of failing health.

Born in Butler on Nov. 28, 1933, to Caroline Cross and Howard Stephens, he was raised by his mother in the home of her parents.

He was especially proud of being a member of the 1949 Penn Township Western Region Class C championship basketball team. After high school, he went to Denver to attend Denver University.

Mr. Stephens married Shirley Kolstad after college in 1956. They had two children, Mark and Cathy, while farming the Kolstad family farm south of Chester, Mont. They divorced in 1967.

He then moved to Missoula, Mont.; Spokane, Wash.; and Boise, Idaho, following new career interests.

Mr. Stephens married Susan Sanders in 1973 and moved to the Milwaukee area. They had a son, Jefferson, who was later adopted by Susan's next husband after the couple's divorce early in 1977.

Late in 1977, he married Sandra Guest, who had three children. Mr. Stephens helped raise Jennifer, Leslie and J.D. until the couple divorced in 1988.

He moved to Alexandria, Va., to be near business interests in the Washington, D.C., area. He later moved to Martinsburg, W.Va., to be near the VA Medical Center there.

He then moved to Bozeman in July 2004 to be closer to his children and grandchildren.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and had a lifelong interest in hunting and fishing. He enjoyed photography and world travel.

Surviving are one daughter, Cathy Stephens of Great Falls; one son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Susan Stephens of Bozeman, and their daughters, Karli, Randi and Staci.

<B>STEPHENS</B> — A memorial for Ron Stephens, who died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008, will be at 4 p.m. March 1, 2008, at <B>Hope Lutheran Church</B>.Memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society in the names of Mr. Stephens and his late mother, Caroline Cross.For information of Mr. Stephens' professional life, visit www.dahlcares.com. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.dahlcares.com.