Ceola Stephens

Ceola A. Stephens was born October 18, 1937 in Laurens County, Georgia to the late Willie and Johnola Blue. She completed her earthly journey at the age of 84 on June 15, 2022.

Growing up in a GOD centered home, full of love and 13 siblings, she was born lucky number 7!  Ceola confessed to Christ at age 12 and became a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Dudley County, Georgia where she sang in the choir and served on the Usher Board. She always loved to sing and most loved to sing with her sisters.

Ceola attended and graduated from her beloved Millville High School, in Dudley Georgia where she was a member of the school choir and Drama department. Soon after graduating, she followed her brothers and sister and migrated north to Detroit, Michigan.

Ceola soon became a member of Bethel Baptist Church where she faithfully attended Sunday School and sang in the choir.

Through Betty Ball, a friend from work,  insisted she meet her cousin. Ceola met Albert Stephens in Detroit and a love connection was made. They married and moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana to continue their journey and remained married until his death in 2009.

To this union four children, three sons and one daughter were born Albert, Gregory, Marcus and Valerie.

Upon moving to Fort Wayne, Ceola joined Progressive Baptist Church, under the leadership of the Reverend Jesse White, and served on the Matrons Club and sang in the Choir. After a few years of service, she and Albert found their forever church home at Union Baptist Church. Within Union, she was a devoted member and joined the Gospel Chorus, Inspirational Choir and Food Bank Ministry. She loved her UBC family and enjoyed Sunday afternoons with her “dinner crew”, and loved to travel to a new destination with church family and friends every year.

Ceola worked for General Electric and Magnavox as an Electronics Assembler and Quality Control Inspector. While at Magnavox, she enjoyed being a member of their bowling league, along with Albert and their son Marcus, and shared great times together doing so.

She was a member of the Arianas, a group of progressive black women who shared in common values in marriage, motherhood, and a commitment to giving back to the community.

The club was well known in the community for their popular scholarship dances and fundraisers. Ceola served in many roles while an active member.

Throughout their lives she and Albert loved to host family and friends at their home.

Ceola was a great cook and enjoyed sharing her love for friends with a great meal. If you were ever at their home during the holidays, you were surely blessed with one and particularly with her homemade rolls. If you were really special, you may have received a package of them via mail!

As you may know, Ceola was a football fan. There wasn’t a game nor a player she was aware of up until the last days. If you were a friend on Facebook, you would hear it from her every Sunday! She would fondly reminisce about the Monday Night Football game in Auburn Hills, Michigan she attended with her son Al, and dear family friend Mack Brown.

She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was lovingly known as “GG”.

Her love for them was pure and unconditional. She always checked in with them to see how they were and never missed a birthday.

Those left to cherish her memory are two sons, Albert (Grace) Stephens of Harvest, AL, Gregory Stephens of Fort Wayne and daughter Valerie Stephens of Detroit, MI, grandchildren Amber (Watson Stanford) Offutt, Justin (Hannah) Stephens, Davon (Danielle) Shuler, Destiny Stephens, Allison Stephens, Alex Henderson, Adrian Henderson, Madison Stephens, Makae Brieschke, and Blue Brieschke; great-grandchildren, Saniyah, Garron, Eva Mae, IllanaBelle, Alijah Rae, Accalia and Watson III; bonus grandchildren Millyn Brieschke, Marilynette , Mack III and Marissa Brown, Taylor Martin Nyamaah, Drew Martin, Sajeh and DeVonte Dunbar, Aries and Minkah; sisters,  Ella O’Neal, Suzanne Smith, Alberta (Rev.Winfred) McCloud, Katherine (Billy) Strickland, Sharon (Ronald) Couch, brothers, Rev.Horace. and Rev. Marvin (Theresa) Blue; brothers-in-law, Cleophus (Janie) Stephens, Nathaniel (Alice) Stephens; sister-in-law Maggie Davis, a host of cherished nieces and nephews as well as her dedicated caretaker and friend, Ariana Nikolaenko. 

Ceola was preceded in death by her husband, Albert Stephens; son, Marcus Stephens; sisters, Lizzie Carter and Ellen Ashley, and brothers Willie, John Willie, Andrew and Earnest Blue.

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