Dwight Lyman, better known as Dee Stephenson was born January 4, 1933 to Osby Bryan and Sarah Lillian Turner Stephenson.  He passed away on Friday November 24th at the Golden Years Nursing Home, reaching the age of 90.  He always said that he wanted to live as long as his Grandfather Turner, who died when he was 90.  He made it.  He thought the world of his grandfather Turner, whom he called Pappy.  Dee was also called Pappy by his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, his wife of 49 years, Sula Elaine West Stephenson, his brother Maynard Stephenson, his sisters, Effie Alley, Norma Coffey Bertram and little sister Alene Stephenson, who died at less than a year old.

He is survived by his sons, Johnny, Darrell and Thomas Stephenson, his grandchildren, Mindy Stephenson Taylor, Breanna Stephenson, Dylan Stephenson, Dawson Stephenson and Myles Stephenson, and great-grandchildren Sanali Upchurch, Skylar Taylor and Breydan Taylor, and several nieces and nephews. He was from a very large extended family, consisting of 78 first cousins, in which some of them survive him.

He was a graduate of Wayne County High School and worked as a farmer and mowing lawns.  He attended the Parnell Baptist Church and Greenhill Baptist Church.

He was a life-long resident of the Parnell community and with his passing a wealth of knowledge of the previous generations and its stories goes with him.  He had a memory like a steel trap and never forgot anything until dementia took it away. He loved to talk and never met a stranger and didn't care what kind of questions he asked.  He would know everything about a person in just a little while.  It was once said that he could tell you who everyone's daddy in Parnell was and also who their real daddy was.

He loved trading with people, everything from clothes, to furniture, to livestock, to vehicles. He once traded his shoes and came home barefooted.

He loved to laugh, joke and aggravate people.  For those of you that remember Sam Turner, Sam would stutter when he got confused or excited.  Dee would aggravate him until Sam would stutter and then Dee would start laughing.  He liked to joke and aggravate the children and ladies that helped take care of him.

He has plowed many rows with a mule, sawed many logs with a crosscut saw, and drawn many buckets of water from a well.  He liked the simpler life.

After the death of his wife, Darrell and Stacy welcomed him into their home, where he stayed for 9 years until covid worsened his already weakened condition and forced him into the nursing home. The ladies that took care of him thought the world of him.  He will be missed by all.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Parnell Baptist Church Cemetery fund.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, between 6 pm – 8 pm in the chapel of the funeral home.  Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at 11 am at the Hicks-Vaughn Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Rayburn Sweet officiating. Burial will be in the Parnell Baptist Church Cemetery.

Hicks-Vaughn Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.