Obituary for Margaret B. Stephens
Margaret B. Stephens, age 91, of Bonner Springs, KS., went home to be with the Lord on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019. Visitation will be 11am to 1pm, followed by the Funeral at 1pm, both Saturday, Feb. 16th at the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Bonner Springs. Burial will then follow in the Hillsdale Cemetery in Hillsdale, KS. Memorial contributions can be made to the First Christian Church of Bonner Springs.
Margaret was born on Jan. 18, 1928 in Woodson County, Kansas and was the only daughter, of three children, born to Lee & Iva (Ellison) Chambers. Margaret fondly told the story, of her riding her horse to the Possum Trot School in Woodson County and later graduating from Paola High School in the class of 1945. After graduating, and following her “independent spirit” she traveled by train to Washington State, where she took a job as a File Clerk. Later she returned to Paola and worked for the Miami County Bank. Margaret was married to Jay Williams DeTar on April 16, 1947 and together they raised their five children on the family farm in Miami County and later Gardner Lake, he preceded her in death. Margaret was a secretary at the First Presbyterian Church in Gardner before taking a job at the Shawnee Mission Post office. She transferred to the Olathe Naval Air Station, until it close. She then transferred to the Social Security Administration in Kansas City, Missouri, retiring in 1989. Margaret married Vernon Earl Stephens on November 16, 1979 and together they made their home in Bonner Springs. She and Vernon were very active in various civic organizations including the Fraternal Order of Eagles, where she was the Kansas State Auxiliary President in 2002-03. Margaret was a longtime member of the First Christian Church in Bonner Springs where she was a Stephen Minster. Vernon preceded her in death in 2001. She was also preceded in death by her parents, and two brothers; George Lee Chambers and William Boyd Chambers. Survivors include her children; Tom DeTar (Lauren) of Broken Arrow, OK., LeAnne DeTar Newbert (David) of Bonner Springs, Jim DeTar (Brenda) of Kansas City North, Mike DeTar of Tulsa, OK., Denise Christensen (Jerry) of Gladstone, MO., Margaret also claims as her daughters; Cheryl DeTar Newbert and Sandy Case. 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, and a host of extended family and many friends.
Margaret was born on Jan. 18, 1928 in Woodson County, Kansas and was the only daughter, of three children, born to Lee & Iva (Ellison) Chambers. Margaret fondly told the story, of her riding her horse to the Possum Trot School in Woodson County and later graduating from Paola High School in the class of 1945. After graduating, and following her “independent spirit” she traveled by train to Washington State, where she took a job as a File Clerk. Later she returned to Paola and worked for the Miami County Bank. Margaret was married to Jay Williams DeTar on April 16, 1947 and together they raised their five children on the family farm in Miami County and later Gardner Lake, he preceded her in death. Margaret was a secretary at the First Presbyterian Church in Gardner before taking a job at the Shawnee Mission Post office. She transferred to the Olathe Naval Air Station, until it close. She then transferred to the Social Security Administration in Kansas City, Missouri, retiring in 1989. Margaret married Vernon Earl Stephens on November 16, 1979 and together they made their home in Bonner Springs. She and Vernon were very active in various civic organizations including the Fraternal Order of Eagles, where she was the Kansas State Auxiliary President in 2002-03. Margaret was a longtime member of the First Christian Church in Bonner Springs where she was a Stephen Minster. Vernon preceded her in death in 2001. She was also preceded in death by her parents, and two brothers; George Lee Chambers and William Boyd Chambers. Survivors include her children; Tom DeTar (Lauren) of Broken Arrow, OK., LeAnne DeTar Newbert (David) of Bonner Springs, Jim DeTar (Brenda) of Kansas City North, Mike DeTar of Tulsa, OK., Denise Christensen (Jerry) of Gladstone, MO., Margaret also claims as her daughters; Cheryl DeTar Newbert and Sandy Case. 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, and a host of extended family and many friends.