Mary Lee Hood Stephen

Ms. Stephen was born February 26, 1932 to Arthur Thornton and Beatrice Wynn Thornton in Jackson County, Florida. 

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Arthur James Thornton and Bonnie B. Thornton, Sr., and a grandson: Clarence LaDon Harrison.

She leaves two step sisters: Mary Jane Patterson and Eula Mae Mack. She was the mother of five daughters: Barbara Pittman of Panama City, Florida, Lois Elaine Harrison of Lynn Haven, Florida,  Roshell Durr (Willie James) of Newville, Alabama, Nevale Hill (Darryl) of Callaway, Florida and Donna Profio (Joseph) of Montgomery, Alabama.

She was grandmother of thirteen: Eric Pittman, Montricia Kenney, Deondra Grady, Rodney Peoples, Regis Peoples, Reginald Hill, Sr., Darryl Hill, Jr., Theresa Profio, Gertrude Profio, Mary Loveless, Antonella Profio and Josie Profio; great grandmother of fourteen and great-great grandmother of one. She leaves two cousins: Flossie Cook and Lucille Reid of Pensacola, Florida; and a host of nieces and nephews.

She was a resident of Bay County since the early 1940’s.

She was a member of Potter’s Temple for many years and most recently a member of First Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church.

I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun;
Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.

Unknown at that hour. At that hour when all things have repose,
O lonely watcher of the skies, do you hear the night wind and the sighs
Of harps playing unto Love to unclose the pale gates of sunrise?
When all things repose, do you alone
Awake to hear the sweet harps play To Love before him on his way,
And the night wind answering in antiphon
Till night is over gone? Play on, invisible harps, unto Love,
Whose way in heaven is aglow at that hour when soft lights come and go,
Soft sweet music in the air above and in the earth below

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