Shirley Ann Stephens

In Loving Memory of Shirley Stephens

Shirley Stephens, age 72, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, January 10th, 2020 after a long series of medical tragedies.

She was born on September 23rd, 1947 in Elkhart, Texas to the late Leroy and Opal Crawford. She was raised in Amarillo, Texas where she attended Tascosa High School and met her future spouse in the early-1960's.

Shirley had a deep desire and love to be a wife and mother. She married Norman Stephens in June 1967 in Amarillo, Texas. She was overjoyed to welcome her first child, a daughter named Marka, in May of 1969 while living in Homestead, Florida, where she was stationed with her husband. During the 1970's, she and her spouse moved to Garland, Texas and later, Richardson, Texas where she proudly gave birth to two more children. Her second child, a son named Kyle, was born in October of 1974 and her third child, a son named Eric, was born in June 1978. 

Her family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in October 1984 and began a whole new chapter of growth and exploration. While in Texas, she'd begun a career as a health insurance claims processor for John Hancock. When she moved to New Mexico, she continued to develop her skills and knowledge of health insurance and its administration. This led her to employment with Presbyterian Health Plan in 1994, where she eventually became the Manager of the Audit Department and remained until her retirement in 2008.

She loved to cook and was affectionately called the "Italian Hillbilly" by her husband for her ability to make incredible lasagna, meatballs, spaghetti and parmesan chicken. Her cooking gifts were not limited to just Italian cuisine. Her Saturday night hamburgers were a delight looked forward to by young and old alike and her homemade pizza put pizza restaurants to shame.

Shirley enjoyed gardening of all types and raised her own fruits and vegetables for many years. Later, she developed a great joy for landscape gardening and passed that love onto her daughter. One of her favorite summer activities was to watch as multiple, brightly colored, zooming hummingbirds fought over the sweet sugar water she prepared fresh for them all season.

Her favorite holiday was Christmas. She was very poor while growing up and that drove a great desire to try and make all holidays, especially Christmas, a very magical time for her children and later grandchildren. She happily dyed Easter eggs (and her fingers), carved pumpkins, made custom Valentines and every other manner of celebration for those she loved. Long before Party City, birthday parties were truly an event that often included a custom homemade birthday cake, including a three dimensional Barbie cake for her young daughter, goodie bags and many happy overnight slumber parties and raucous swim parties.

In her later years she was blessed with multiple grandchildren, including many of the four footed kind. She also cherished raising and loving many fur-babies along the way. 

Shirley is survived by Norman Stephens, her husband of forty-five years and father to her three children; her daughter Marka Irene and her late husband, Justin Irene; son Kyle Stephens and his wife Tenaya Stephens; and son Eric Stephens and his partner Destri Casias. 

Her love and joy extended to her grandchildren, Tyler, son of Kyle and Tenaya Stephens, Cody Kelly, nephew of Kyle and Tenaya Stephens as well as Joshua and Kayla Stephens, son and daughter of Eric Stephens and Garrett Boone, son of Eric's partner, Destri Casias. She was preceded in death by fur-babies Ginger, Precious, Whisper, Liesel, Lancelot, Candi, Brandie, Tiva, Guinness, Tonka and Suki and leaves behind Kiko, Calli, Lila, Autumn, Duke, Daisy Mae, Sparkle and little Fanci Foo Foo.

Services will be Wednesday, January 22, 2020 located at Daniels Family Funeral ~ Southern Chapel 2400 Southern Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 starting at 11:00 am with Visitation, followed by Funeral Service beginning at 12:00pm, and Grave side Service will be at 1:00pm located at Vista Verde Memorial Park 4310 Sara Road SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124.

Daniels Family Funeral Services ~ Southern Chapel
2400 Southern Blvd SE
Rio Rancho, NM 87124

505-891-9192