Charlene I. Holloway Stephens, departed this life on July 10, 2012 at the McCreary County Health and Rehab Center in Pine Knot, KY from lung cancer. Mrs. Stephens was the daughter of Mary Jane Henson Holloway and Charles Anderson Holloway; the half sister of Clifford Archie Holloway, Verlie Mae Holloway Malone Morris and Marie Holloway Hickman; the sister of Elva Kathryn Holloway King, William McDonald, Lena Dell Holloway Bell Hildebrandt, Estil Maurice and Violet Ailene Holloway Hughes. Charlene was the wife of Herman Ronald Stephens; and the mother of Erma Sue, Gary Wayne and Ronald Bruce. She is survived by her daughter, Erma Sue and husband Larry Roberts of Dry Ridge, KY; son, Gary Wayne and wife, Janet Lou Corder Stephens of Whitley City, KY; son Ronald Bruce and wife, Mary Sharon Corder Stephens, of Gainesville, GA, one brother, Estil Maurice Holloway of Lompoc, CA; one sister, Violet Ailene Holloway Hughes, of Chicago, IL., six grandchildren, and eight  great-grandchildren, three great grandchildren by marriage, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Charlene was born on the 10th of October, 1925 in Worley coal camp and was a resident of McCreary County most of her life. After graduating from McCreary County High School, she enrolled in the US Army Cadet Nurse’s Corp on the 16th of September 1944. She was a nursing student at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lexington, KY and worked during the summer months in Louisville, KY at the Blue Boar Cafeteria. Immediately after WW II ended, on the 15th of August 1945, she returned to Whitley City to care for her brother, William McDonald, who had been wounded in the war. She began working as a nurse for Dr. Meese of Whitley City. On the 5th of July, 1947 she married Herman Ronald Stephens, with whom she had corresponded while he served in the US Marine Corp. In 1948 with the birth of her daughter, she left her employment to become a full time wife and mother. Although not a salaried nurse afterwards, she nevertheless cared for her family, friends, and neighbors through many serious illnesses, whenever the need arose, until she, herself, required the care she had so selflessly given others.

Charlene was baptized, at the Stearns millpond, into the Second Baptist Church of Whitley City and was a devoted church member her entire life. During her years of residence in the McCreary County area, she was a member of Indian Creek United Baptist Church first, then Cherokee Baptist Church and lastly, East Apple Tree Baptist Church. She ever took delight in singing gospel music.

Visitation will be on Thursday, July 12th 2012 at 6:00 pm at the Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home, Main Street, Whitley City, KY. Funeral services will be Friday, July 13th 2012 at 2:00 pm at the Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home. Ministers officiating will be her pastor, Rev. Sammy Vaughn and her son Gary Stephens. Interment is beside Herman at Taylor Ridge United Baptist Church Cemetery.

Condolences may be sent to the family at strunkfh@yahoo.com

Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home served the family of Charlene Stephens.