Ronald Carl Stephenson

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, 11:00 AM at Asbury United Methodist Church, 101 Life Oak Boulevard, Lafayette, Louisiana for Ronald Carl Stephenson, 77, who passed away on March 10, 2023. The Reverends John Cannon, and Susan Ferguson and Dr. Lee Cooke of Asbury United Methodist Church will conduct the funeral services. Private inurnment will take place in the Masonic Cemetery of Lafayette at a later date. Mr. Stephenson, a resident of Lafayette, was the son of the late Clarence Arthur Stephenson and the former Mary Verna Dugas. A graduate of Northside High School in Lafayette, Ron attended the University of Southwester Louisiana before joining the United States Navy where he served in Great Lakes, Illinois and San Diego, California. He was an Instrument Repairman on the USS Sperry. When he returned from active duty, Ron became a Seabee in the Navy Reserves. Following his active military service, Ron returned to Lafayette where he was employed as a photojournalist at the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. His entrepreneurial nature soon brought him to open Petroleum Photographic, a studio specializing in aerial and land-based oilfield photography. This career led him to employment as a drilling consultant and as a consulting automation and electronic engineer. Among other accomplishments during this time in his varied career, he developed equipment and systems which better connected offshore platforms to land-based offices. Ron’s desire to have his own business surfaced again and he opened Industrial Data Systems, Inc. He continued to work both onshore and offshore with oil and gas companies and expanded his expertise to local and wide-area networking which he did until the time of his retirement. A member of Asbury United Methodist Church, Ron was a member of the Faithful Friends Sunday School Class and the Asbury Choir. He and his wife attended United Methodist Cursillo #89 where he served on staff and as a member of the Secretariat. Ron was a member of Louisiana Free and Accepted Masons, active in Hope Lodge #145 where he served as Master and Secretary; Rayne Lodge #313 where he also served as Master and Secretary; the York Rite Bodies, Robert H. Cage Chapter #56, Jack L. Stephan Council #24, and Payen Commandery #16 Knights Templar; and The Valley of Lake Charles Scottish Rite. He also served as 11th Masonic District Treasurer. He is survived by his wife, Linda Stephenson; sons Thomas Robson Bush (Faith), and Donald Raymond Bush, daughter Shelly Kendrick (Keenan); grandchildren Jason Myers, Kara Myers, Roselynn Bush, Phillip Bush, Killian Kendrick, Kya Kendrick; great-grandson Stetson Myers; siblings Gary Stephenson (Chris), Curtis Stephenson (Peggy), Scott Stephenson (Carleen), Cynthia Baudoin d’ Ajoux, Sandra Hebert (David), Randy Anderson, Marlowe Anderson (Serena), Stacy Anderson (Nichole); step brothers Bruce Anderson, and Blaine Anderson; foster brother Carl Cole; and godson Aiden Anderson. He was preceded in death by his father, Clarence Arthur Stephenson; his mother the former Mary Verna Dugas; his stepfather, Marlowe Anderson; and his brother Andy Anderson. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Asbury United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 9:00 AM until the time of service. Personal condolences may be sent to the Stephenson family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com In lieu of flower, memorial gifts may be made to Asbury United Methodist Church and to Hospice of Acadiana. Copyright Delhomme Funeral Homes, Inc. March 2023

Ronald Carl Stephenson

October 5, 1945 - March 10, 2023