Frankie Marie Stephens

Frankie M. McDonald Stephens, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully and comfortably in her home on March 15, 2026, in Gatesville, Texas at the age of 89. A celebration of her life will be held at 2:00 p.m. March 18, 2026, at First Baptist Church in Gatesville. The family will receive visitors one hour before the service at the FBC parlor.

Frankie McDonald Stephens was born June 20, 1936, to Odis Leonard McDonald and Ruth Marie Chenault McDonald of Eastland, Texas. After graduating from Eastland High School in 1953 and then attending Cisco Jr. College, she received her bachelor's degree in nursing from TCU in 1958. She later received a second degree from UMHB in Elementary Education. She taught the children of Gatesville ISD for 33 years before retiring in 2002.

Frankie married her Aggie sweetheart, Paul Vance Stephens, on August 24, 1957, at First Baptist Church in Eastland. They had been married for 68 years. She and Vance became active members at First Baptist Church in Gatesville upon settling there in 1965. Frankie sang in the choir, served as a teacher for Girls in Action, as a youth Sunday School teacher and as a co-teacher of the Ladies' Sunday School class. She was active in the high school’s youth activities for many years, organizing and directing a Christian Youth Alliance that met in the Stephens' home for several years. She also enjoyed numerous ladies bible study groups in Gatesville. She was a lifetime member of Texas State Teacher's Association and a member of the Coryell County Retired Teacher's Association. Frankie enjoyed painting ceramics with friends for many years after retirement.

She is survived by her husband Paul Vance Stephens of Gatesville; son Scott Stephens of Crosby, Texas; daughter, Pam Stephens Parsons and husband Pat, of Temple, Texas; sister, Gloria McDonald Dyke and husband Ron, of Wichita, Kansas; son-in-law Randy Knowles and wife, Nikki of Denison, Texas; her beloved grandchildren, Clay Stephens and wife Michelle, Katie Stephens McGinnis and husband, Jake, Jared Knowles and wife, Alexandria, Kelsey Knowles Vandyke and husband, Jason, Kara Parsons DeLord and husband, Caleb, and Kyle Parsons and wife, Jade.

Frankie was excited to be a great grandmother of three: Lydia and Micah McGinnis and Carson DeLord. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers, Dean and Gilbert McDonald, as well as her oldest daughter, Laura Marie Stephens Knowles and her grandson, Cody Paul Stephens.

In lieu of flowers, please give memorials to The Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Memorial Foundation to help provide heart screenings for our Texas students. 15021 Bohemian Hall Road, Crosby, Texas 77532.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.