James Gary Stephenson

Jim was born in Cleveland, Tennessee to Parkie Johnson and Alvin E. Stephenson. He passed away at Medical Center of the Rockies following a more than three-year battle with Multiple Myeloma.

He grew up in Calhoun and Chattanooga Tennessee; he graduated from Tyner High School (Chattanooga) in 1964. He graduated from Hiwasse College in Madisonville and attended Tennessee Tech after his military career.

He served 4 years in the US Air Force. He trained at Lowery Air Force Base in Denver to work in the missile and exotic fuels area on Edwards Air Force Base in California, in the Rocket Propulsion Laboratory. Near the end of his enlistment he learned to weld; a skill that led to his lifelong career. He worked briefly for Southern Railway. In the 1970s he moved to Colorado and pursued his career in pipeline welding and inspecting throughout numerous states. Jim loved his work and developing his skill. He liked passing his knowledge on to others and in the process made many lifelong friends.

On June 14, 2014 he married Elizabeth Conley at Fort Lupton. They lived in Berthoud at the time of his death. He was a member of the Fourway Baptist Church and enjoyed attending worship services and men’s Sunday school until his illness prevented him. He was a member of the American Legion Post 180 in Keenesburg, Colorado.

Jim was preceded in death by his mother, January 2017. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his son Dana of Wellington, CO, his father Alvin of Chattanooga, TN, his brother Allan of Rome, GA, nieces Hope Menninger (Charlie), Anna Stephenson, and nephew Eric Stephenson, along with many cousins.

Funeral arrangements are through Tabor-Rice Funeral Home in Brighton, CO. Services will be held on January 18th, 2020 at Fourway Baptist Church in Fort Lupton, CO. Viewing to be held at 10:00 AM followed by services at 11:00 AM. Internment will be in Calhoun, Tennessee, at his family plot.

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