Rebecca Stephenson, 84, Albert Lea

Published 4:11 pm Saturday, September 15, 2012

Memorial services for Rebecca M. Stephenson, of Albert Lea, will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Ascension Lutheran Church, Albert Lea. The Rev. Mark Boorsma will officiate. Interment will be alongside her husband at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Visitation with family will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea and one hour before the service at the church.

Rebecca Stephenson

Becky died from complications of cancer on Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, at Good Samaritan Center in Albert Lea. She was 84.

She was born on May 16, 1928, on the family farm in Waseca County, the daughter of Gerhard and Clara (Johnson) Hatle. She attended Sunday school at Hartland Lutheran Church and was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Richland.

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Becky started school in rural Waseca District No. 77 and then graduated from New Richland High School with the class of 1945. She attended business college in Mankato. As a young woman she moved to Albert Lea and began working for Wilson & Co. She became one of the “Wilson Girls.” She met Charles F. Stephenson and they married on Nov. 22, 1947.

Charles was career military and Becky, as an Army wife, traveled with her husband caring for their three girls: Cynthia, Sandra and Gina. She so enjoyed the traveling, gatherings and socializing that military life afforded. They settled in Albert Lea in 1971.

Becky had many interests; she volunteered at the Art Center, served as VFW Auxiliary president, and was an active volunteer at the Eagles Club. She was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Becky will be greatly missed by her family; three daughters: Cynthia Powell and Brad Root of Fort Wayne, Ind., Sandra Stephenson of Albert Lea and Gina (Shawn) Mitchell of Rochester; grandchildren: Sarah (Brian) Busse and their children Zoe and Jackson of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Claire Mitchell of Rochester; siblings: Elaine Johnson of New Richland, Edith (John) Hanson of Washington state, Avis (Glenn) Wobschall of Waseca and Ruth Strand of Albert Lea; and many, many nieces and nephews; with special fondness for Kathy Kary of Albert Lea and her nephew Rodney (Carolyn) Hatle of Owatonna.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Charles; her siblings: Orvin Hatle and his wife Alice, Arnold Hatle in infancy, Evelyn and her husband Ray Foley, Wesley Hatle and his wife Edna, Herbert Hatle; brothers-in-law: Lyle Strand and Lloyd Johnson.

Becky enjoyed life to the fullest and will be fondly remembered as a good person and a good friend.