Gladys J. Stephens

Gladys Stephens, of Palm Springs, California, went to be with the Lord on July 23, 2015.
Gladys was born Gladys June Gardner on May 30, 1933 in Deming, New Mexico, to John and Lela Bell (Lee) Gardner. She was number twelve of thirteen children: Gib and Ophelia (Salyer) Gardner, Otho, Noble and Melvin Whitmire, Jack, Bill, Flo (Graham), Gene, Thelma (Pelayo), Roger and Shirley (Spiceland) Gardner.
She married Joe W. Stephens on October 29, 1950. Joe was a house painter and they traveled many miles, across many states, following his work. Gladys was a homemaker and raised their four children.
In the early 1980's, she managed the Holiday House in downtown Palm Springs for several years. That was a special time for her. She was a bookkeeper for Goodman Tile Company. For most of her life, she was either Avon's best customer or on several occasions, she sold Avon. Joe became the business agent for the painters local union and they spent a lot of time going to conventions and they enjoyed traveling so much more at that point.
She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly fifty years on March 15, 2000. She lost both of her parents, John and Lela Bell (Lee) Gardner in the 1960's. Most of her brothers and sisters passed on before her. She is survived by her sister, Thelma Pelayo and her brother Roger Gardner, both of Deming, New Mexico.
She is survived by her children Don (Laura) Stephens of N Little Rock, AR, June (Willard) Estep of Olathe, CO, Jo (Eli) Granillo of El Centro, CA, and Icy (John) Grady of Maricopa, AZ; her grandchildren Amber, Shane (Kathryn) and Joe Ryan Stephens, Kelli (David) Hudson, Herschel Beard IV, Michelle (John) Braun and William (Amy) Beard, Icy (Cesar) Bermudez and Dawn (Jeff) Lamoure and Deborah Granillo; her great-grandchildren Maxx Stephens, Sarah and Kristen Flemmer, Alexandria and Shelby Hudson, Herschel V, Trevor and Alex Beard, Stephanie Winch and Michael Braun, CJ, Brooklyn, Chance and Brady Bermudez, Kelsey, Kylee and Ireland Lamoure, Haidan and Alyssa Hammond; and her great-great grandson Huckson Gattenby. She had numerous nieces and nephews and they were very special to her. Her best friend of fifty years was Janean Goodman.
Thank you to the wonderful people of Safari Mobile Home Park in Palm Springs. Gladys lived there for over thirty years and had the most amazing neighbors. A heartfelt thank you to Laarni Rodas and the loving, caring women at Golden Heart Home Care. We know they were brought into our lives by the grace of God.
Funeral services will be on Monday, August 3, 2015 at Forest Lawn, Cathedral City. Viewing is at 9am and service immediately after. Interment will follow at Palm Springs Cemetery. Pall Bearers will be her son, Don Stephens, son-in-law Eli Granillo, grandsons Herschel Beard IV and William Beard, great-grandson CJ Bermudez and nephew Kenneth Swanson. Junior Pall Bearers will be great-grandsons Chance and Brady Bermudez. Honorary Pall Bearers will be sons-in-law Willard Estep and John Grady.
Gladys loved her family and raised her children in the church, to know and love the Lord. She will be forever in our hearts.