Eva “Jean” Stephens of Clyde, Texas passed away peacefully at the age of 92, on January 22, 2026 in Abilene, Texas.

There will be a family graveside service on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 2:00 pm at the Lost Prairie Cemetery. Groesbeck Funeral Home will be handling the arrangements.

Jean was born March 19, 1933 in Leon County, Texas to Ora Dell Platt Price and Ray Price. When Jean was 2 years old, her mother met and married Algie O. “Preacher” Hardison. This was the man that she called Daddy and he loved and raised her just as his daughter.

At the very young age of 16, she was united in marriage to Jimmy Murphey. From this union they had two daughters, Debra Kay and Kathy Jean.

Jean was a loving and hardworking mother to her two girls. She was very involved in their school activities and served as room mother numerous times. While raising her girls she always made sure that they had nice clothes to wear. Sometimes sewing into the middle of the night to produce a new dress for them to wear. Her love of fashion and being dressed appropriately led to her opening a dress shop in her home and as her business grew, she relocated her shop into town and opened up “Jean’s Dress Shop”. She loved going to market and bringing back just the right outfits for her many customers. Her shop was a gathering place for the ladies to come by shop, drink coffee and visit.

Jean married Harold Stephens and they had many travels and adventures together. They both thoroughly enjoyed life together.

Jean also enjoyed playing cards with her many Groesbeck friends. There was always a lot of loud talking and laughing during these card game matches. She continued to love to play cards with her daughter, Debra up until one week before she passed.

She always considered Groesbeck her home and dearly loved Groesbeck and the residents there. In 2012 she decided to relocate to Abilene, Texas to be closer to her daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Jim Rector. In 2019, she moved into an apartment located in Debra and Jim’s backyard in Clyde, Texas. She loved her home in Clyde and being closer to family and her granddogs.

Jean was preceded in death by her loving husband, Harold Stephens; father Algie O. Hardison; mother Ora Dell Hardison; sister Martha Downy; brother Kenneth Hardison; brother Michael Hardison and granddaughter Brooke Christensen.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Debra Murphey Rector and Jim Rector of Clyde, Texas; daughter Kathy Murphey Barker of Mexia, Texas; sister and brother-in-law Vickie and Jimmy Green of Dallas, Texas. She also was blessed and survived by 3 grandsons, 1 granddaughter, 4 great grandsons and 3 great granddaughters. There are numerous nieces, nephews and a host of friends.