Clay C. Stephenson, Jr.

Clay C. Stephenson, Jr. died on September 4, 2016. Burial will be private. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Duanna McGinnis Stephenson, daughter Shelley Tice, husband Andy, and son David Stephenson, wife Mary, grandchildren Kelley, Samantha, Laura, and David, and 7 great grandchildren. Clay was born in Waxahachie, Texas June 13, 1921 and grew up in Dallas, Texas. He graduated from Sunset High School where he was an All-City center on the football team his senior year. He attended the University of Texas in Austin for three years in prelaw until the outbreak of war in 1941. He attended pilot training in San Antonio, Texas, at Randolph AFB. Prior to going overseas he met and married his wife Duanna. Originally, Clay was to be sent to Europe as part of a crew flying a Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber. Before he could ship out he had an emergency appendectomy and did not go to Europe. Once recovered, he was sent to the Pacific Theater where he flew missions over Japan until the end of the war. After the war he served a short tour in Japan, and then returned home to his wife and infant son David. He left active duty and attended Southern Methodist University earning a BA in Business. He then went to work for a company headquartered in Dallas in the wholesale food business. At the onset of the Korean War Captain Stephenson was recalled to active military service. In Korea he flew a Douglas B-26 Invader medium bomber and was credited with 60 combat flying missions. After Korea, he remained on active duty and was initially an instructor pilot assigned to the Air Training Command. While on active duty he obtained a Master's degree in Statistics from George Washington University in 1958. He was then reassigned as an intelligence officer in the Intelligence branch of the Air Force serving in Paris and Brussels at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. In 1970 he was sent to Vietnam to be the operations officer of a flying squadron in Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. Clay was a highly decorated officer having received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit and the Air Medal a number of times to name a few. He was a life-long athlete, participating in sports such as golf, softball and running. He was an early disciple of Dr. Kenneth Cooper when Cooper was on active duty in the Air Force. Clay's generation has been called "the greatest generation". In considering Clay's life and service to his country in three wars, it is easy to understand why. He will be missed. Register online at www.hartsmort.com, Hart's Mortuary and Crematory, Cherry Street, has charge of arrangements.