Yvonne Jean Stephens

Yvonne Jean Stephens (who always preferred to be called Jean), was born on June 26, 1926 and passed away peacefully on July 30, 2011. She was 85 years old. Jean was the daughter of Ralph Henry Stephens and Emily Gertrude (Foulds) Stephens, both of whom were born in Illinois. She had one sibling, a younger brother, Robert, who preceded her in death. Jean attended Pacific Elementary School, California Junior High, and C.K. McClatchy High School. She then took her lower division courses at Sacramento City College, where she won the Distinguished Service Award, for student service in the 1940s. She went on to Radcliffe College for a special Publishing course, and then went on to study English and receive her B.A. degree at UC Berkeley. She then went to the University of Iowa, where she was a communications major and received her Ph.D. from that school. She taught high school English and Journalism in Elk Grove School District, and then moved to her Alma Mater, Sacramento City College, where she taught Journalism for over thirty years. Altogether, Ms. Stephens had a teaching career of over 50 years. In 1977, she was named the Outstanding Journalism Teacher in the Statewide Professional Journalism Association of Junior Colleges. There was an Assembly Resolution and a Senate Resolution as well when she retired in 1977. Many of her students have gone on to become well known news photographers and writers, as well as an editor and a managing editor of the Sacramento Union and the Sacramento Bee. Former students of hers continued to come back and see her after absences of 30 years and more. Ms. Stephens loved to read and to garden. She traveled extensively all over the world and always had at least 2 Pekinese dogs at a time that she adored. She was actively involved in working with the Public Library System in Sacramento, and was particularly involved with Belle Coolidge Library. Ms. Stephens was also an avid glass and art collector, traveling far and wide for lovely glass art, paintings and prints. Her collection was once featured in the Sacramento Bees weekend Home and Garden section. Funeral services will be held at Gormley and Sons Funeral Home, 2015 Capitol Avenue in Sacramento, on Friday August 5th at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow in Sacramento City Cemetery in a family plot with her mother and brother. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sacramento City College Emeriti Scholarship Fund in care of Sacramento City College, 3825 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95822, or the Sacramento Press Club, or Sacramento Friends of the Library.