Della Coats Stephenson

Della Coats Stephenson, 85, died Sunday. Born in Johnston County, she was the daughter of the late Hosea Preston and Cara Lee Parrish Coats. She was married to the love of her life, William Haywood Stephenson on March 12, 1949 and they shared 58 happy years together until his death in 2007. Survivors include her sons, William Timothy Stephenson of Garner and John Phillip Stephenson and wife, Kim of Benson; her grandchildren, Krystal Ann Stephenson and Jonathan Preston Stephenson, both of Benson and John William Justin Stephenson of Louisville, KY. Also surviving are her sister Doris Coats Brown of Benson and nephews, Rodney Coates of Wilmington, Eric Coates of Fuquay and Brandon Brown of Benson; nieces, Cara Coates Callahan of Largo, FL and Michelle Gillis of Clayton. She was preceded in death by a brother, James Parrish Coates on May 23, 1999 and a niece, Diane King Honeycutt, July 23, 2005. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6-8:00 pm at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Garner. Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Wednesday at Garner United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Montlawn Memorial Park. Mrs. Stephenson was a wife who was supportive of her husband in his career, as well as a mother and homemaker who loved her family very much. They were the most important ones in her life. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Garner United Methodist Church, Gifts Fund, 201 Methodist Drive, Garner, NC 27529.