Lois Ellen Dees........Age 75

VISITATION: 10:00AM -11:30AM WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015
EDDY-BIRCHARD FUNERAL HOME

SERVICE: 11:30AM FOLLOWING VISITATION
EDDY-BIRCHARD CHAPEL

BURIAL: FONTANA CEMETERY, FONTANA, KANSAS

MEMORIAL: CROSSROADS HOSPICE

Memorial may be sent in care of:
Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home
P.O. Box 430
Osawatomie, KS 66064

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Lois Ellen Dees age 75, of Fontana, Kansas died Saturday, March 28, 2015 at Black Hawk Assisted Living in Springhill, Kansas.

Lois was born April 21, 1939 in Greensboro, North Carolina the third child of four born to James Vestal and Mildred Maxine (Gallimore) Walker.

Lois attended several different schools growing up, do to her family moving many times during her childhood. She lived from North Carolina to New Jersey and back to North Carolina. She did attend a Catholic High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey moving before she graduated.

After the family moved back to Greensboro, she met her future husband a Marine, stationed at Camp Lejeune, N. C. Reuben E. Stevenson. The couple married on November 25, 1956 in Greensboro. Reuben was from Ohio and the couple moved to his hometown area and became the parents of two girls, Becky and Susan. Later moving to California and welcoming the newest addition to the family, a son Reuben E. Stevenson Jr.

While living in California Lois and Reuben were foster parents for many children. They received one baby girl named Jenny that Lois became very close with and Jenny’s biological mother as well. That bond stayed between Lois and Jenny for their lifetime, a true mother daughter connection.

Lois and Reuben later moved to Oklahoma and resided there for many years. In 1990 after thirty four years of marriage Lois and Reuben divorced and she moved to Kansas to be close to her children who lived in the Osawatomie and Fontana areas.

Lois worked in several different places during her lifetime, while in California she worked for Proto Tool in the chroming department for about ten years. However she was a wonderful cook and worked in several state facilities, including Ohio State University and Fort Supply in Oklahoma. She also did private duty nursing while living in Laverne, Oklahoma. After moving to Kansas in mid-1990 she went to work in the kitchen at the Osawatomie State Hospital for about two years.

After moving to Kansas she met John Francis Dees and on May 31, 1991 the couple married at the Nazarene Church in Osawatomie. They made their home along with their little long-hair Chihuahua “Gizmo* in Fontana, Kansas. They had many happy times in the four short years they had together, John died on February 5, 1995.

Lois loved to travel and was always ready to go if the chance arose. She would always be the first in the car and asking what was taking everyone else so long. She truly did love to travel, taking many trips to North Carolina, California, Ohio and Texas she even took her parents to Las Vegas.

Lois did many different things in her life that she was proud of, being a mother and grandmother ranked very high on her list, but one thing in her childhood was her one shining accomplishment. She took ballet classes from her very young years throughout her teens and she was very proud to say she was a “ballerina”.

She was a member of the Red Hats Society in Laverne, Oklahoma and a member of the Fontana United Methodist Church.

Lois was a wonderful mother and grandmother, a terrific friend and loyal to all she loved, many family and friends will dearly miss her.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents, husband John F. Dees, a grand-daughter Ruth Ann Stevenson and the father of her children ex-husband Reuben E. Stevenson Sr in 2014.

She is survived by her children: Becky (Otis) Snyder of Fontana, KS, Susan Stevenson of Ponca City, OK and Reuben E. Stevenson Jr. of Osawatomie, KS, foster daughter Jenny Dean of Long Beach, CA, brother David (Lorraine) Walker of Lakewood, IL, two sisters: Rebecca (Tom) McGuigan of Payson, AZ and Billie Baynes of Sneads Ferry, N.C. Seven grandchildren: James Riggs, Christopher, Gary and Gregory Stevenson, Otis “Levi” Snyder, Chelsea Snyder and Karla Snyder. Two great grandchildren: Mona and Gavin Stevenson, with one more on the way. Along with numerous nieces, nephews and friends.