HAROLD GENE STEPHENS

Harold Gene Stephens, age 72, of Strunk, Kentucky, passed away Monday, September 6, 2010, at the Methodist Hospital in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 9, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of Pine Knot Funeral Home with Rev. Claude Gilbert and Rev. Lance Lay officiating. Serving as pall bearers will be Claude Gilbert, Denver Gilbert, Ed Gilreath, Mike Gilreath, Neal Stephens, and Rodney Heath. Burial will be at the Upper Cal Hill Cemetery. Visiting will be Wednesday from 6 a�" 9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Born November 25, 1937, in McCreary County, he was the son of Jesse and Opal Carter Stephens. Besides his parents he is preceded in death by a daughter Nola May Stephens, four sisters Joyce Manning, Julie Moore, Beulah Lovett and Lula Honeycutt, and a granddaughter Jessica Stephens. Surviving family include his wife of 53 years, Lucille Meadows Stephens whom he married December 13, 1956. They made their home in Strunk and have four surviving children: Darrell (and Connie) Stephens of Whitley City, Wayne (and Krista) Stephens of Pine Knot, Patty (and Clarence) Matthews of Strunk, and Penny (and Ed) Ross of Rockholds. There are two sisters Eula (and Bob) Libale of Cincinnati, and Reba (and Leon) Ball of Stearns, and two brothers Arnold (and June) Stephens of Florence and Freddie (and Jane) Stephens of Oneida. Harold and Lucille have 13 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and a special nephew Garrett Meadows.

Harold was a coal miner having retired from Blue Diamond Coal Company. He was a member and deacon of Murphy Ridge Community Church. He loved spending time with his family, friends and church family. He enjoyed outdoor activities such as gardening, ginsenging, fishing and feeding the squirrels.