Mary Edith Stephens, age 73, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, July 9th 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida after a short illness. She was born on August 18th 1946 in Lyons, Georgia to the late William and Juanita Howell of Callahan, Florida. Edith was married to Houston Stephens, owner and operator of Houston’s Meats in Oceanway. Behind the scenes, she quietly and faithfully served as the company’s long-time bookkeeper and office manager.
When not working, Mrs. Stephens loved to travel and take cruises. Her travel destinations included Hawaii, Alaska, the Great Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge and many others. She loved beautiful flowers, shopping, watching old western shows, and gospel music. Most of all, she loved and cherished her family including her four grandbabies: Callie (14), Reagan (11), Candler (8), and Cadence (5).
Mrs. Stephens was most recently a member of Gardenview Baptist Church (Jason Reid, Pastor) on Armsdale Road in Jacksonville. Previously, she attended Pines Baptist Church and Faith Baptist Church where she faithfully served in the choir and supported the various ministries of the church. She embodied the meaning of a Proverbs 31 woman. “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” (Prov. 31:10, 30-31).
She is survived by her husband, Houston; her daughter, Christy; her son, David (wife, Casey); her four grandbabies: Callie, Reagan, Candler and Cadence; her sisters: June Johns and Ann Randolph (husband, Rex); several nieces and nephews and other family. All of these she deeply loved.
Please join us in celebrating her life on Tuesday, July 14th at 11am at the Gardenview Baptist Church at 3139 Armsdale Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218. Pastors Jason Reid and Steve Wilson officiating. Visitation hours will be on Monday, July 13thfrom 4-8pm at Cedar Bay Funeral Home at 405 New Berlin Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218.
“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” - 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
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