Ouachita-Franklin County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....STEPHENS , SONNY N. February 7, 2009
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Gina Brown http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006026 June 24, 2010, 11:10 pm

News Star World - Feb 09, 2009
SONNY N. STEPHENS 

GILL FUNERAL HOME WINNSBORO, LA 

A funeral service for Sonny N. Stephens, 76, of Winnsboro will be held on at 
10 A.M. Tuesday, February 10, 2009, in Temple Baptist Church Sanctuary under 
the direction of Gill First National Funeral Home with Reverends Scott 
Fletcher, Mark Powell and Jason Foster officiating. Visitation will be Monday, 
February 9, 2009 from 5 P.M. until 9 P.M. in Temple Baptist Church Sanctuary. 
Graveside services will follow in Lone Cherry Church Cemetery in Richland 
Parish. Sonny was born January 11, 1933 in Richland Parish, and went to be 
with the Lord on Saturday, February 7, 2009, while in Rapides Regional Medical 
Center in Alexandria, LA, after an extended illness. He was a member of Temple 
Baptist Church of Winnsboro and the World Congress of Baptist Men and was an 
ordained deacon. He loved his Sunday School class taught by Don Middleton. 
Sonny was one of the founders of Bread of Life Missions, Inc. Because of his 
love for missions, he participated in several missionary endeavors in the 
Northwest United States and Mexico; and he has been a lay speaker as well as 
serving as interim pastor. He had a great love for Bluegrass and gospel 
Bluegrass music. Being a banjo and mandolin player, he played with several 
Bluegrass gospel bands. In 1963 he was the last person in Louisiana to earn a 
degree in law under the Grandfather Rule by passing the Bar studying at home 
without attending law school. In 1978 he was elected to a Fifth District 
Judgeship. Sonny earned the rank of Lieutenant in the Louisiana National 
Guard. During what could have been retirement years, Sonny taught school, 
coached girls basketball, and drove a school bus for Baskin Junior High 
School. Preceding Sonny in death were his parents Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Stephens 
and a daughter Sonni Lynn Ezell. His surviving family includes his wife of 55 
years Z. Ruth Fletcher Stephens; son Judge James Mark Stephens and wife Faith 
of Baskin, LA; son Matthew Fletcher Stephens and wife Cynthia of Calhoun, LA; 
daughter Shonni Leah Oswald and husband Fred of Folson, LA; brother Johnny 
Stephens and wife Betty of Lebanon, TN; and sister Patsy Wilson and husband 
Tommy of Lebanon, TN. His grandchildren are Stephen Ezell, Tyler Ezell, David 
Stephens, Hollyn Stephens, Dakota Stephens, Ru Oswald, Sonni Lynn Oswald, and 
Darby Stephens. His great grandchild is Dylan Ezell. Pallbearers will be Dewey 
Donnell, Sammy Holcomb, Don Middleton, Doug Moony, James Richardson, and Brian 
Wilson. Honorary pallbearers will be Fifth Judicial District Bar Association 
Members. 

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