Robert Stephens

Robert W. Stephens, 78, of Cape Girardeau passed away Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center.

He was born Dec. 23, 1942, in Paterson, New Jersey, to the late William and Agnes Bauer Stephens. Robert and Christine Barry were married March 27, 1965. She preceded him in death Oct. 5, 2006.

He proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force, traveling the world in war and peacetime. He served several tours of duty in Vietnam and was stationed in Europe, Thailand, the Philippines, Korea, Georgia, Utah, Hawaii, New Mexico and too many other places to keep track of. His great love, other than family and his God, was airplanes. If you wouldn't at least pretend to love airplanes as much as he did, he really wouldn't have much to say to you.

He lived a long life and saw and did just about everything he could have wanted to.

Robert was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral, Knights of Columbus Council 1111 and Missouri Civil Air Patrol.

He is survived by his sons, Rob (Joan) Stephens of Jackson and David (Sherry) Stephens of Cape Girardeau; daughter, Christine (Klaus) Mueller of Cape Girardeau; grandchildren, Katherine (Travis) Roth of Friedheim; Melissa Stephens of Jackson; Sarah (Robert) Hendrix of Cape Girardeau; Joy (Ben) Winter of Kansas City, Missouri; Miles Mueller of Cape Girardeau; and Rebecca Keene of Cape Girardeau; great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Nathan and Leah Roth of Friedheim; and brother, John Stephens of New Jersey.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Christine; and a brother, Bill Stephens.

Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel.

Funeral Mass will follow at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Cathedral with the Rev. Allan Saunders officiating. Burial with full military honors will be at St. Mary's Cemetery.

Online condolences may be shared at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.