Individual Details
Lela Belle Stephens
(15 Jul 1907 - 5 Oct 1975)
Lela Belle Stephens was the eldest daughter of Ernest Frederick and Dora Belle (Martin) Stephens, and was born at Rewey, Iowa County, Wisconsin, 15 July 1907. She died at Sextonville, Richland County, Wisconsin, at the home of her sister, Anieta (Stephens) Klinzing, on 5 October 1975. She had never married. She is buried at the Kirkpatrick Cemetery, Rewey, Wisconsin.
Lela Stephens graduated from Rewey, Wisconsin, high school in 1925, and attended Platteville State Teachers College at the insistence of her grandmother Martin. She majored in English and won special honors in debate. She quickly forged a place for herself teaching students older than herself in her first teaching assignment at Gratiot, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. She taught English at Gratiot, and successively at Cobb, Mount Horeb, and Waunakee, all in Wisconsin. She took her B.S. degree at Platteville by attending summer sessions. Lela accepted a job as a school librarian at Melrose Park, Illinois. After this stint she decided to study for a library science degree at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. After obtaining her M.L.S. degree, she became a school librarian in South Milwaukee and advanced to become head librarian of seven libraries in that school system. She continued attending summer sessions and taught a couple of summers at the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee. She was a member of the DAR and of Delta Kappa Gamma education sorority. She wrote a book titled, "The Lady of the Lighted Schoolhouses" about a woman named Kathryn Enderiss. As a young woman Lela sang a great deal, often performing with her Sister Anieta. She was a prime contributor, and a moving force in the development of this genealogy.
Lela Stephens graduated from Rewey, Wisconsin, high school in 1925, and attended Platteville State Teachers College at the insistence of her grandmother Martin. She majored in English and won special honors in debate. She quickly forged a place for herself teaching students older than herself in her first teaching assignment at Gratiot, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. She taught English at Gratiot, and successively at Cobb, Mount Horeb, and Waunakee, all in Wisconsin. She took her B.S. degree at Platteville by attending summer sessions. Lela accepted a job as a school librarian at Melrose Park, Illinois. After this stint she decided to study for a library science degree at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. After obtaining her M.L.S. degree, she became a school librarian in South Milwaukee and advanced to become head librarian of seven libraries in that school system. She continued attending summer sessions and taught a couple of summers at the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee. She was a member of the DAR and of Delta Kappa Gamma education sorority. She wrote a book titled, "The Lady of the Lighted Schoolhouses" about a woman named Kathryn Enderiss. As a young woman Lela sang a great deal, often performing with her Sister Anieta. She was a prime contributor, and a moving force in the development of this genealogy.
Events
| Birth | 15 Jul 1907 | Rewey, Iowa Co., Wisconsin |  | ||
| Death | 5 Oct 1975 | Rewey, Iowa Co., Wisconsin | | ||
| Burial | Kirkpatrick Cemetery, Rewey, Iowa Co., Wisconsin | |
Families
| Father | Ernest Frederick Stephens (1880 - 1963) |
| Mother | Dora Belle Martin (1881 - 1974) |
| Sibling | Anieta Mae Stephens (1909 - ) |
Endnotes
1. Social Security Death Index.
2. A Kirkpatrick Genealogy; Melvin Kirkpatrick & David Hudson, 1995.
3. Social Security Death Index.
4. A Kirkpatrick Genealogy; Melvin Kirkpatrick & David Hudson, 1995.
5. A Kirkpatrick Genealogy; Melvin Kirkpatrick & David Hudson, 1995.