Mrs. Claudia Vernice Calvin Stephenson

Mrs. Claudia Vernice Calvin Stephenson, 78, of Columbus, GA passed away peacefully Friday, April 21, 2023 at her residence surrounded by her family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 9:30 AM Friday, April 28, 2023 at St. Anne Catholic Church with Father Will Cook officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church, 2000 Kay Cir, Columbus, GA 31907. Interment will be held at Parkhill Cemetery following the services according to McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory, 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907.

Mrs. Claudia was born on March 26, 1945 in Memphis, TN to the late Vernice Altie Holland Calvin and Irvin James Calvin, Jr. After graduating from White Station High School in Memphis, TN, she attended Stephen’s College in Columbia, MO. A year later, she transferred to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she graduated with a BS in Business Administration. While at UT, she was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. Post graduation, she was crowned Princess of the Cotton Carnival and served as president of the Women's Bachelorette club, Falderal, in Memphis. She also fulfilled a lifelong dream when she obtained a pilot’s license. Her father was a World War II bomber pilot. While her husband was stationed at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC, she obtained a Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of South Carolina and found her true calling as a Social Worker. In her early career, she won state and national awards for her work for the Tennessee Department of Employment Security.

In December of 1970, Claudia married Dr. John R. Stephenson. Upon completing his service in the Army and his residency in Memphis, they moved to Columbus, GA to start his 45 year career as an Orthopedic surgeon. They were blessed with two beautiful children, Altee and John, and they were the light of her life. Staying at home with them, she never missed an opportunity to volunteer in both school and the local community. She served as their room mothers, led cub scouts, and dedicated her time to multiple PTA positions for Clubview Elementary, Richards Junior High, and Columbus High School. One of her favorite jobs and her favorite holiday was running Clubview’s Halloween Carnival. She also served as president of the Medical Auxiliary Society, the Columbus Symphony Women’s Association, and the Achievement Academy Board. She loved organizing book fairs and Sally Foster fund raisers for the Achievement Academy. In her free time, she was an avid reader and never met a book or a book club she didn’t enjoy. She was also a lifelong lover of higher education, and was a devoted supporter of CSU for decades, taking Spanish classes up until her passing.

Claudia had many hobbies over the years, including roller skating, karate, and traveling with her family and friends whenever she could. Most infamous for her “black book”, where she kept her daily to-do list, she was able to make sure she and her family never missed anything important, no matter how small. Moreover, she never missed an opportunity to give to others in any way that she could and kindness was truly her super power. Having professed her faith in Jesus Christ at an early age, her life was a beautiful testimony to her trust in and love of God.

Her wonderful life will forever be cherished and lived on in the lives of her husband of 52 years, Dr. John R. Stephenson, her children, Dr. Altee (Dr. Scott) Johnson both of Columbus, GA, and John (Jalise) Stephenson of Cumming, GA, and her eight grandchildren, Madeleine, Sidney, Abby Grace, Harper, Sterling, Tripp, Cruz, and Journey.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Columbus State University Spanish Department at 4225 University Ave. Columbus, Ga. 31907 or St. Anne Catholic Church Outreach at 1820 Box Rd, Columbus, GA 31907.