Linda Jane Blackman Stephenson

Linda Jane Blackman Stephenson passed away on April 25, 2023, while bravely battling Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Linda was born in Soper, Oklahoma on August 4, 1935, and was raised in Hugo, Oklahoma on a Dairy Farm where she learned her fastidious work ethic. Linda’s love of fashion and her gregarious personality developed early. She was football queen and the first Dairy Princess for the state of Oklahoma. During her reign as Dairy Princess she milked a cow in Bermuda shorts on Television in Chicago. She met her future husband, Jack in her senior year of High School. They both attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma and were married while they were in college.

Linda was a loving and devoted wife and mother and a dedicated grandmother and great grandmother. She was very involved with her family and had so many amazing friends throughout her long life of 87 years. Everyone she met just loved her so much. Linda was a true-life partner with her husband Jack and were not fully whole without each other. She strived for perfection in everything she did from cooking delicious meals and being an expert at baking delicious cakes, cookies, pies and all kinds of candies. She had a flare for fashion, looking good, flawless makeup, and perfect hair. Linda showed her artistic talents through designing truly beautiful gardens. Her botanical knowledge was vast and never met a plant she did not like. Arts and crafts were a constant throughout her life. Exercise and eating healthy were very important to her. No matter what was thrown her way she kept on moving and never stopped trying. She raised her children in Duncan Oklahoma and Arlington Texas. Linda loved living her retirement years with her husband, Jack at Sun City in Georgetown, Texas for over sixteen years. She enjoyed organizing dinner parties, traveling around the world, playing dominoes, all kinds of card games, garden club, and greeting newcomers to Sun City for years. Linda never met a stranger and was a good friend to everyone she met. So many people loved her and appreciated her friendship.

She has five beautiful great granddaughters who she adored, Rylee Jane Klein, Kennedy Jeanne Neville, Logan Kathleen Neville, Harper Jacklyn Neville, Ireland Bree Montgomery and her special great grandson, Maddox William Neville, Linda’s sister-in-law, Joyce Stephenson Frost, brother in laws Jack Frost of Frogville, Oklahoma and WJ “Dub” Stephenson of Grand Prairie, Texas. The last six months of her life she was surrounded by the most wonderful caregivers / friends and confidants Maria Villa, Dulce Martinez and Hortencia Amaro.

Linda will be dearly missed, and we will cherish the time we’ve had with her and the loving experiences she shared with everybody for so many years. We all love you, Mom / Mother and Linda!

Linda is survived by her loving daughter, Pam Neville and her husband, Jack Neville, of Dallas, Texas and her son / best friend, John Stephenson of Richardson, Texas. She has a granddaughter, Emily Neville and a grandson, Clayton Neville and his wife, Maria Neville and her grand dog / protector Buddy Stephenson of Richardson. She is preceded in death by her loving parents Leonard “Blackie” Blackman and Girtha “Clyde” Foshee Blackman. The love of her life, husband of 60 years, Jackie “Jack” Glen Stephenson and her son, Glen Erwin Stephenson who died after birth. She will finally get to hold him in heaven. Her brothers, Harry Thomasson, Sam Thomasson, and sister Mary Jumper.