Dr. K. Stephens

West Point, Mississippi - Dr. Joe K. Stephens, 80, died, Friday, March 2, 2012 at Dugan Memorial Home, in West Point. Dr. Joe Keeton Stephens was born in Belmont, on August 9, 1931. He graduated from University High School in Oxford in 1949 where he won numerous academic awards. He received a B.S. from Ole Miss in 1953. He went to Tulane Medical School graduating from there in 1956. He then spent one year as an intern at the University of Mississippi Medical School in Jackson. In 1957 he began a two year tour of duty with the United States Air Force serving as an Air Force doctor in Japan, Korea, and at Columbus Air Force Base. After completing his military duty, he did a two year residency in pediatrics at the University of Alabama Medical Center where he served as the chief resident. He came to West Point in 1961 to begin a practice in pediatrics. He later also became an allergy specialist. He retired in 1996 after 35 years of practice. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in West Point where he taught Sunday School for many years. He was also the team doctor for the West Point Green Wave for many years and was one of the organizers of the Howlin' Wolf Blues Festival. He was preceded in death by his parents, C. W. and Gladys Keeton Stephens of Belmont, and his wife, Sarah Jeanette (Tippy) Stephens, on November 6, 2010. He is survived by cousins, Thomas Everett Childs, Jr. of Fulton, and Jolee Childs Hussey (Charles) of Oxford and a host of other cousins and friends. Pallbearers will be Hubert Caston, Bob Wyman, Kenny Dill, Donald Raines, Art Strobel, Eugene Bailey, Danny Mize, Doug Wood. Honorary Pallbearers will be Dr. Edmund A. Miller, Jr., Dr. T. N. Braddock, Tim McKibben, The Malone Sunday School Class FUMC. Graveside Funeral services will be Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. with the Reverend Jeff Shannon officiating. Burial will follow in Belmont City Cemetery Belmont, Mississippi. Family and friends will gather at the cemetery at 12:30 p.m until service time for a visitation. Calvert Funeral Home of West Point is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church P. O. Box 293 West Point, MS 39773. Visitation will be Monday, 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Calvert Funeral Home in West Point.

Dr. K. Stephens

March 3, 2012