Biography: Clifford Lynn Stephenson Sr, 90 of Illinois, transitioned into God’s full world on Sunday Jan 14, 2024.
 
He was born in Tuscola, Texas on February 5, 1933 to Leroy & Blanche Stephenson, and 5 siblings (Leroy, Margaret, Zane, Kenneth, Raymond).
 
As a teenager he volunteered for & served in the Merchant Marines, followed by voluntary enlistment into the United States Air Force during the Korean conflict.  Following his military service he earned a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from St. Louis University.
 
Cliff’s Electrical Engineering career spanned several decades & included service at Emerson Electric in St. Louis and McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis.  He took part in the dawn of manned space flight, supporting NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects and played a role in engineering the guidance & control systems of such weapon systems as the Tomahawk Cruise missile. 
 
He was a God-fearing, kind, & generous man who kept a vigilant watch over the welfare of his expansive family.  He, along with his wife, personally built two of the houses in which his family lived, and for several years he served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).
 
He is survived by Mary (his wife of 72 years), his eldest daughter Susan Ellmaurer, daughter Melissa Stephenson, son & daughter-in-law Cliff & Kathy Stephenson, and youngest daughter Julie Stephenson, along with 8 grandchildren Jeff (Alissa) Ellmaurer, Lisa (Nick) Janasik, Stephen Ellmaurer, Christina (John) Horan, Tyler (Huimin) Mattmuller, Adam (Jessie) Mattmuller, Brooke Stephenson, & Tori Stephenson, and 8 great grandchildren.
 
A memorial service will be held at 1pm, Saturday Jan 27, at Ruebel Funeral Home, Little Rock AR. Arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com