Yvonne Stephen received the Robe of Achievement posthumously in 2016
Yvonne grew up in the Chicago, IL area but graduated from the College of Emporia in Kansas in 1963 and the received her teaching credentials from Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia.
One fateful day as Yvonne was setting up a third grade classroom in Leavenworth, KS a young Army soldier turned up in her presence. “Aren’t you going to help me?” she asked Mel Stephen. Mel and Yvonne were married on April 24, 1965, giving Grandma the last laugh as she had tried to convince the family that ‘Saturday is the real Sabbath, not Sunday.’ Mel and Yvonne remained steadfast fro 48 years, raising two sons and providing a home for numerous foster children.
During Mel’s years of seminary, Yvonne was greatly involved in Christian Education and the music ministry of the Bell SDB Church in Salemville, PA. During that time she worked at Camp JOY, led junior youth fellowship and was a youth leader. They shared the love of Christ in the pastorate of Alfred Station, NY and the Marlboro SDB Church near Bridgeton, NJ. Upon leaving the active pastorate, they joined the Shiloh, NJ SDB church where Yvonne continued sharing her strong alto voice as well as talent on a variety of musical instruments. Her storytelling skill, enhanced by an ability to imitate almost any accent, was put to good use with children and adults alike. She cheerfully took her turn as Shiloh’s Benevolent Society President and used her sewing skills to craft banners for special occasions. Yvonne’s ministry to children continued outside the home and church as she was a certified substitute teacher in every state where she lived.
On the denominational level, Yvonne served on the Host Committee for General Conference at least once, and was an active member of the Children’s Committee for the Board of Christian Education in Alfred Station. She also took her turn directing Junior Conference and Associated Conference Music. She directed Young Adult Pre-Con and participated in a Post Conference retreat. She compiled the BEACON 50th Anniversary section of the Sabbath Recorder. Later, during the 90’s, she chaired the Robe of Achievement Committee for the Women’s Board and crafted the Robe we use today in 1993 to replace the long-lost original Robe that had come to us from China many years ago. Always going the second mile, Yvonne even crafted a coordinating carry-on garment bag to protect the Robe on its travels. During this time she conducted a round-table discussion at the Women’s Society Banquet.
Yvonne fought a courageous battle against cancer for about six months before God called her home on December 11, 2013. A plaque was presented to Yvonne’s widower, Mel, with love and appreciation for the life he introduced to our denomination.