Elizabeth Crane Stephenson

Elizabeth Crane Stephenson, 44, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, passed away on March 8, 2026, in Marietta, Oklahoma, after a long illness. Born on April 20, 1981, in Joplin, Missouri, to Michael Stephenson and Lynne Siple, she grew up in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, where she graduated from high school in 1999. There she participated in varsity tennis, musicals, and operetta. In 2004, she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

After college, Elizabeth moved to Chicago and worked in the hospitality industry at several respected restaurants. In 2014, she relocated to Norman, Oklahoma, and settled in Ardmore in 2017. She became deeply involved in her community, particularly in animal welfare. A gifted writer, she published a book of poetry in 2016. She also expressed her creativity through pottery, handcrafted jewelry, silk floral arrangements, and other décor items that she sold locally and on Etsy.

Those who knew Elizabeth will remember her sharp intelligence, quick humor, creativity, and profound compassion. She embraced life with passion and a generous heart, often showing her love by giving thoughtful gifts to family and friends. She is survived by her father, the Rev. Mike Stephenson of Ardmore, Oklahoma; her mother, Lynne Glathaar, and stepfather, Kent Smith, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois; her brother, Phillip Stephenson, and his children, Katherine and Paul, of Prairie Village, Kansas; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents, and she leaves behind the many cats she cherished.