Anna Marie Gerda Stephens, age 66, of Springfield, MO went to heaven on Sunday, December 29, 2013. Her body died from multiple organ failure due to sepsis she acquired under the care of Mercy Hospital while she was there to receive treatment for peripheral artery disease of her legs.
Anna was born February 17, 1947 in Otterberg, Germany the daughter of Wilhelm Seipel and Anna Katharina Essig.
Anna came to the states in 1964 and became a U.S. citizen in 1980. She was sworn in by giving the Oath of Citizenship by then U.S. Senator Joe Biden.
Anna spent over 40 years working in the healthcare industry, but most recently served as a Driver’s Examination Clerk for the Missouri Highway Patrol.
Raising her kids, Anna would tell them fascinating stories of her life growing up in Germany. Those stories will live on within them. Also, her children would like everyone to know that Anna, and her brothers & sister, actually did walk 5 miles to school every day, in the snow, uphill both ways. They’ve also got some really good stories about Anna’s brothers, and especially her sister, that are not fit for print.
Apparently, Anna had a bit of a German accent, although her kids never heard it, but everyone would always ask them, ‘where is your sweet mom from?’ They did know that she was a beautiful woman with a magnetic personality that made everyone drawn to her. Anyone that has ever met Anna, fell in love with her almost instantly.
Her kids didn’t actually hear her accent, but they couldn’t deny that she was consonant-challenged. It’s often her T-H’s & L’s would sound like D’s; her D’s would sound like T’s; and her G’s would sound like K’s so you might hear her say something: “Dis’go get da’squat car”, “Dat’s just Krate!” or yell “Stop Dat!”
We did know, however, her accent was very soothing to the hurting souls she loved, cherished and cared for. If you knew her, you never ended a conversation with her without feeling better about your situation, no matter what it was. There are no words that can accurately describe just how unique & magnificent Anna was to everyone she’s ever came into contact with.
And even though Anna was a cute, sweet, little lady, when her children got ‘the look’ and heard the elevated voice of their mother speaking in her maiden tongue, they knew to immediately straighten up or something absolutely horrific was about to be unleashed that would make them regret their bad behavior. To this day, they never actually saw what that horrific-something actually was. However, even without her physically here, her children and grandchildren are still very aware of pending consequences if they do not obey her golden rules that family always comes first, and there are no debts among family.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Kenneth Stephens; a daughter, Deana Nix-Schlack; a brother Karl-Heinz Seipel; a nephew David Duran; and a niece Joani Barnes.
She is survived by brother Willi Seipel; sister, Ingrid Barnes and husband Terry; sons, Dennis “Moose” Schlack, Kevin Schlack and wife Carrie; a daughter Monique “Nikki” Ginel-Schlack; grandchildren Justin Schlack, Joanna Mueller, Christopher Schlack and wife Kali, Katarina Mueller, Benjamin Schlack, Mikayla Hokanson, Kyra Hokanson, Monique Schlack, Andrew Schlack, Tristan Schlack, Kenneth Nix, Grace Schlack & Sara Schlack; great-grandchildren, Falyn Schlack, Jetson Schlack and Braylin Parmenter and a host of nieces and nephews, step & extended family and friends that she loved just like her own family.
Visitation will be 6-8pm Thursday, January 2, 2014 and Memorial service will begin at 10am Friday, January 3, 2014 both at Greenlawn Funeral Home East, Springfield, MO. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to JDRF at: www.jdrfevents.donordrive.com. Search for ‘Anna Stephens’.