Johnie Anderson Stevens

Johnie Anderson Stevens, 102 years old, entered into the arms of his Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, August 1, 2025. He was the firstborn child of Elby and Rosa Rippy Stevens, born on May 20, 1923 in Flo, Texas.

Johnie worked in Houston for a time in the early 1940’s building warships for America in World War II and then joined the US Army in 1943. He trained in the States for one-and-a-half years, and then on Sunday morning, September 17, 1944, he, along with 10,000 other American soldiers, waded ashore on the tiny island of Anguar in the South Pacific theater. This day greatly affected Johnie for the rest of his life, as he was almost immediately gunned down by enemy machine gun fire on the beach. He spent the next several months in VA hospitals in San Antonio and Temple, recuperating from his wounds. Assuming he would never be able to walk again, the Army sent him to watchmaking school in Wichita Falls. He did eventually walk again, however with a severe limp for the rest of his life. Sometime during this watchmaking training, while visiting home in Buffalo, he met and began dating Annie Kathryn Bell. They were married in April of 1947, and their oldest son, John Randall, was born in Wichita Falls in 1948. Kathryn said Johnie always wanted to live in Buffalo so when he completed his training, they moved back and opened a small jewelry store by the US75/79 intersection. Johnie really preferred to be outdoors and so took on other part-time jobs, including carrying the rural mail, welding and auto mechanic. His wounds did not slow him down as he was always building something, including two houses in Buffalo. Johnie and Kathryn soon added to their family: in 1952, a son, Thomas Gene, and in 1957, Kenneth Wayne.

Johnie was always tinkering with something, whether a Ford Model A, a tractor, or a grandfather clock. But he cherished most the time he had with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And when someone would ask him what he had been doing, he’d say “just coastin’."

Johnie was preceded in death by his wife of seventy-seven years, Kathryn, and son, Randy; five of his siblings: Hazel Miller, Loy Pennington, Doug Stevens, Ben Stevens and Ann Newsom.

Johnie is survived by his two sons, Thomas Gene (wife, Doris) of Buffalo and Kenneth Wayne (wife, Barbara) of Boerne; seven grandchildren, Andy Stevens, Mike Fox (Amanda), Jason Stevens (Shelley), Steven Fox (Jill), Jeremy Stevens (Deana), Thomas Stevens (Leslie) and Gina Stevens; twenty-two great-grandchildren; and eleven great-great-grandchildren, his sister, Selma Eggleston and brother, Elby Stevens, Jr. (Butch).

The family would like to acknowledge the excellent care both Johnie and Kathryn received at the Brookdale Assisted Living facility in Palestine as well as from Heart-to-Heart Hospice. These aides and nurses treated our parents like family and are now considered part of our extended family.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, August 7, at 10 A.M. at First Baptist Church Buffalo, followed by a service at 11 A.M. Rev. Alan Grisham will officiate the service. Johnie will be laid to rest in the Buffalo Cemetery next to Kathryn and their son, Randy.

Pallbearers:  (Johnie's grandsons)  Andy Stevens, Mike Fox, Jason Stevens, Steven Fox, Jeremy Stevens, Thomas Stevens

Arrangements are under the direction of Walters' Buffalo Funeral Home, Buffalo, Texas.