Leona Frances Stephens of Burton age 93 died May 12, 2021 at her residence. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 noon Tuesday May 18, 2021 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church 404 Dayton St. Davison, Fr. Andrew Czajkowski Celebrant. Burial  will be held at 12:00 noon Wednesday May 19, 2021 at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery West Branch, MI. Family will receive visitors 2:00-6:00pm Monday at the funeral home with a parish scripture service at 6:00pm. Leona will lie in state at the church from 11:00 am Tuesday until time of services. For those planning a traditional flower gift, please consider a donation to a cancer or Alzheimer's cause in Leona's memory.

Leona was born on the family farm near West Branch on July 2, 1927 the daughter of the late Barney and Catherine (Schmidt) Illig and resided in the West Branch and Mt. Pleasant areas before moving to the Burton area in 1950. She was joined in marriage to Floyd Stephens in 1947 and he preceded her in death in 2020. Leona was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Leona graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School in 1944. After high school she worked as a telephone operator for Michigan Bell in West Branch from 1944 until 1947, and was working the switch board when Germany surrendered in 1945. Leona worked at AC Spark Plug from 1952 until 1953 and after she decided to become a stay home mom.

She is survived by sons: Larry Stephens of Burton, Dennis Stephens of West Branch, and Mark Stephens of Georgia, and host of family and friends. She is preceded in death by: brothers: Abraham, Norman, Tony, Floyd, Herman, infant brothers; Edward and Barney Illig, and sister: Wilma Grezeszak. Please share your condolences at www.HansenFuneralHome.net