L.A. AND LORENE STEPHENSON

The following bio was taken from page 395 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

 The years 1947-1960 were the happiest years in the lives of native Texans, L.A., “Coach Steve,” and Lorene Stephenson.  We had a love affair with the Gaston School System, its Red Devils, and its fans, as well as the Church of Christ in Henderson. 

Steve was the fourth of ten children born to William Alexander and Irene Bell Stephenson in 1916 at Estelline.  Later he finished the Anton Schools and graduated from West Texas State of Canyon.  Steve was an outstanding member of the university’s softball and basketball teams.  His great love for sports led to a coaching career. 

Prior to coming to Gaston in 1947, Steve coached at Miles where I met and later married him at Carlsbad, New Mexico in 1941.  Since no married teachers were allowed to teach at Miles, Meadow Schools became our next assignment. 

From 1942-1946 Steve served “Uncle Sam” at Sheppard Air Base at Wichita Falls as a Physical Training Instructor and later in the Philippine Islands.  During the time, I continued teaching at Burkburnett. 

I was the last of four children born to Claude Jenkins and Ida Wilson Couey at Bunyan in 1912.  After graduation from Junction High and Mary Hardin-Baylor University at Belton, I taught in Kimble County and at Miles. 

One daughter, Nancy, was born at Burkburnett in 1946 where Steve coached before moving to Gaston and Joinerville.  Nancy practically grew up in a school room, since I did substitute teaching until she entered first grade at Gaston. 

During Steve’s coaching tenure at Gaston, he coached many award-winning athletes, highlighted by reaching quarterfinals in football and participating in two state basketball meets.  Those days were filled with pride and excitement as loyal fans followed their Red Devils through much district rivalry, and yes, New London, which was later consolidated with Gaston, thus forming West Rusk. 

Upon retirement from coaching, Steve became principal of Gaston High School, which position he held until one dark day in 1960.  By this time Nancy had finished the seventh grade, and our dreams of retirement in East Texas were shattered as we moved to the Hearne Schools. 

After a brief stay at Llano and Calvert, Sabine became our cherished home.  There in 1970 Steve died of a massive stroke at the dedication of Sabine’s new high school building and was buried at Henderson. 

Nancy finished Hearne High and Southwest Texas State at San Marcos.  After marrying Jay Towner in 1969 at Wimberly, she taught four years before bearing two sons, Stephen Michael in 1973 and David Alan in 1977. 

1981 finds the Towners living at Lewisville.  Jay works for Allstate, while Nancy is a business woman at the Apparel Mart in Dallas. 

I retired in 1973 after forty years in primary education.  Lewisville is home, where I enjoy church work, my grandsons and flower gardening.

Submitted by Lorene Couey Stephenson