Pauls Valley, Oklahoma — Donna Joan Stephens, 75, was born September 17, 1937 at her home west of Maysville, Oklahoma to Elmer and Charlotte Woodruff.

On March 11, 2013, after an extended illness, she entered the gates of Heaven.

Joan was a 1955 graduate of Hughes High School. She met Bill Stephens in 1954 and they were married in Maysville, Okla., on May 20, 1955. Shortly after they married he entered the army, during that time they lived in Olympia, Washington, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Leesville, Louisiana, but eventually settled down in Maysville, Oklahoma.

Joan started out working in commodities for Garvin County. February 1974 until January 1983, she worked in food stamps, also with Garvin County; she also worked in the commissioner’s office from May 1977 until January 1983. In January 1983, she began working in the County Clerk’s Office of Garvin County as purchasing agent until September 2002, when she retired.

Bill and Joan had two daughters, Robin, who passed away as an infant, and Vicki. They loved watching Vicki play basketball throughout school and never missed a game.

They also had one granddaughter, Cheyenne. Vicki and Cheyenne were the light of Joan’s love and spent many days shopping and laughing together.

Bill and Joan loved going to the movies, on vacations, and out to eat. They were always together and loved doing anything together. She loved and cared for Bill very much and up until her illness, picked out his clothes every morning. She was very energetic and outgoing and was always up for anything. She enjoyed talking with people and was a social butterfly in any setting. She was also very inquisitive; Bill always said that she should have been a lawyer.

Joan was known for her kindness and compassion. She was always baking cakes, pies, and breads for people whether it be for their birthday, while they were ill, and often times for no reason at all.

She was the true picture of Christian hospitality and had a way of always making people feel loved and welcomed, no matter who they were. Joan was also in charge of the Maysville Cemetery Dinner for the last few years, which was just one of the ways she was involved in her community and always helping out.

She was a long time member of Maysville First Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Homemaker’s Class and she taught 4 and 5 year olds in Sunday School.

Joan is survived by her husband of 57 years, Bill Stephens of the home; her daughter Vicki Herrington and husband PeeWee of Elk City, Okla., her granddaughter Cheyenne Wollenberg and husband Chad of Snyder, Okla.; and great-grandson Reid, to arrive in May 2013.

She is also survived by her sisters Margaret Allen, and Dorothy Miller and husband Ray of Maysville, Okla., and many other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.

Joan is preceded in death by her parents Elmer and Charlotte Woodruff, her brother John Woodruff, and her daughter Robin Stephens.

Funeral services were scheduled for Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 10 a.m. in the First Baptist Church of Maysville with Rev. Steve Spangler and Chad Wollenberg officiating.

Interment was in Green Hill Cemetery in Lindsay, Okla., under the direction of John Williams of Winans Funeral Home, Maysville, Okla.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.winansfuneralhome.com.