Milford "Miff" Stephenson Obituary (1930 - 2011)

Milford \u0027"Miff\u0027 L. Stephenson, 87, Bismarck, North Dakota, died, Sunday, November 13, 2011, at Medcenter One, Bismarck. A Masonic service will be held at 7:00 PM, Sunday, November 20, 2011, at DaWise-Perry Funeral Services, Mandan. As per Miff\u0027s wishes, his body has been donated to UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. A Celebration of His Life will be held in spring 2012 for friends and family. Miff was born April 4, 1924, at Goodrich, Minnesota, to Charles Ole and Gina Marie (Tweeton) Stephenson. He was raised and educated in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, where he was graduated from high school in 1943. On May 7, 1949, he married Arlene Clauson at Grove Lake Lutheran church at Pelican Rapids. Starting from his early days on his uncle\u0027s farm, Miff\u0027s life was centered in agriculture. He was active in 4H, was a boys Health Champion at the Minnesota State Fair and showed his champion horse at the Minnesota Junior Livestock Achievement Days at St. Paul, Minnesota. His career included Production Credit Association in Valley City, North Dakota, the Minnesota Valley Breeders Association, and in 1978 the Stephenson\u0027s moved to Bismarck where Miff accepted a position as a North Dakota State Dairy Inspector, retiring in 1997 after 20 years of well respected service at the age of 78. Miff was very active in many civic and social organizations including the Elks and the Eagles clubs in Valley City and Bismarck and was a member of Lord of Life Lutheran Church. He was also a Mason and a member of the Shrine. He is survived by his wife Arlene, three sons and one daughter; Andre, Grimes, Iowa, Bradley and Christine, Kent, Minnesota, Claudia LaMontagne, Bismarck, and Darin, San Diego, California; one sister, Adeline Westberry, Miami, Florida; one brother, Donald Stephenson, Flagstaff, Arizona; and three grandchildren, Aaron, Ian, and Olivia, LaMontagne, Bismarck. Milford was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Raymond, Vernon, Dean, and Oren; one sister, Myrtle Vaughn; and son-in-law, Raymond LaMontagne. The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers a donation be given to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.