Don Henry Stephenson

August 27, 2025

Don Henry Stephenson, 79, of Oakley passed away August 15, 2025 at The Kansas City Hospice House after a long and courageous battle with cancer. 

Don was born August 26, 1945 in Syracuse. He always liked to say he waited for WWII to be over before he would make his appearance.  He was born to Dave and Frances Stephenson and taken home to Tribune to join his two big sisters – Carrol Deane and Pat.  He attended school in Tribune and graduated with the class of 1964.  

Don enjoyed sports, choir, band, and having fun with his friends and classmates.  Upon graduation, he attended Garden City Junior College on a football scholarship.  He attended Fort Hays State University with the goal of becoming a coach.  Due to the passing of his mother, Don left college and went back to Tribune to run the family grocery store.  

Don married Stephanie Snyder of Garden City on June 12, 1966.  They were married 59 years as of this past June. Don and Stephanie were blessed with three children:  Shane, Stacy, and Shannon and six wonderful grandchildren who were the light of his life. Don DID get to coach. He coached his two boys, Shane and Shannon as they played baseball and got great joy with their teams.  

Don had lived in Tribune, Garden City, Hays, Scott City, Larned, Dodge, and for the last 6 years Oakley.  He always referred to Tribune as “home”.  He loved watching the Chiefs and the Royals and any sports the kids and grandkids participated in.  He loved watching the Dodge City Marching Band as there were many times one of the kids or a granddaughter was performing in it. Don received great joy in laughter, and making others laugh.  Many a kid (and also adults) loved to see him perform his “Donald Duck” impression, and he was good at it!  On their third date, Don took Steph to the park in Garden City.  At that time, you could drive through the park late in the evening.  He pulled up next to the duck pond and Steph thought – oh, he’s going to try something.  He rolled down the window and did his Donald Duck impression at the ducks.  That started the laughter and fun they had together for 59 years.

Don was preceded in death by his father, mother, younger brother David, sisters Carrol Deane Young and Pat Hapes, along with many other family members and in-laws that he loved very much.  He is survived by his wife Stephanie (Steph) of Oakley, his children Shane (Megan Elizabeth) of Oakley, Stacy Jester (Darin) of Dodge City, and Shannon (Megan Leigh) of Blue Springs, MO, six grandchildren, Sydney, Marie, Maisy, Aidan, Connor, and Lincoln, and many nieces and nephews and dear friends.  He was an active member of Ascension of the Prairie Episcopal Church of Colby. 

Services will be held August 30, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. at the Ascension of the Prairie Episcopal Church, 1170 Wheat Ridge Road, Colby, Kansas. 

Memorials can be made to The Don Stephenson Memorial Fund in care of Farmers State Bank of Oakley, KS. P.O. Box 160, Oakley, KS 67748.