Ralph Lanon Stephens, also known as the Mountain Guru, Snakebite, Big "R", and many other aliases, left us on December 19th, 2021. He was born the fifth of eight children to Ralph and Alma Stephens in Coolidge, Arizona on September 7th, 1933. Soon after his birth, the family homesteaded outside of Old Horse Springs, New Mexico, where his father built a log cabin. After seven years, they moved to Proctor, Texas, where his parents had originated.

Ralph's parents returned to Coolidge and purchased a former World War II Internment Camp outside the Pima Native American reservation, which served as both the Stephens Trading Post and their home. Ralph excelled in all sports, especially football and basketball, which earned him a full scholarship to Northern Arizona University. There he met the love of his life and future wife, Elenore Thompson. They were married 69 years, until her passing on March 17th, 2021.

In 1953, Ralph joined the Air Force and became an aircraft mechanic, stationed in Guam and El Paso, Texas. That year he welcomed his daughter, Vanessa (Devine) and in 1955, Melanie (Grand). After leaving the service, he heard that the aircraft industry was booming in California, so he moved his family to Imperial Beach, California and began working first as a draftsman for Rohr Industries and later became an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in high temperature structures. A son, Mark Stephens, arrived in 1959, completing the family.

Ralph loved being a father and will be remembered for his approach to parenting: having his children compete to polish his shoes, camp in all seasons, or carry a heavy sluice box in his hunt for gold.

At age 55 he retired, and he and Elenore built their dream home on top of a mountain in Potrero, California. There they developed new friendships, planted orchards and vineyards, and raised desert tortoises and honeybees. Ralph loved the homestead, as well as rock hunting, making lapidary jewelry and collecting Native American art. He served on the Potrero Library Board and Kiwanis and looked forward to monthly Bingo and Bunko games at the local fire station. He was delighted when Mark and Terry moved across the road from them. He had a special bond with his grandchildren and attended all their games and events. "Coffee clutch" with Terry became a daily event, and he was a regular visitor at dinner time and when sports were on TV. He will be missed by his wonderful neighbors, Frank and Doreen Ortmeier, Ken and Mickie Hanson, Brenda Figueroa-Fong, Candy Bonner, and many more.

Everyone looked forward to family get-togethers at the beach or mountain cabins. Cutthroat poker games were a regular ritual, and the rowdiness fueled by jugs of plum and Rose of Peru wine, which Ralph produced. His son-in-law, John Devine, always started by complaining (correctly) that he was going to lose his money.

Ralph and Elenore enjoyed traveling to England, Switzerland, and Australia; but their favorite was New Zealand. For their 50th anniversary, they brought the whole family on an Alaskan adventure cruise.

Ralph was known for his witty humor and almost always was in a good mood. His smile was amazing, as was his off-key singing. But time took its toll, he became forgetful, and descended slowly into dementia. In March of 2020, the family realized that he and Elenore could no longer live by themselves, even with Mark living across the street and Brenda coming in the mornings. They came to live with Melanie and her husband, Bob, in Missouri. Ralph loved it. He had a large garden to tend, leaves to rake, and lots of projects. In Missouri he made new friends and became reacquainted with Melanie and

Bob's family. Ralph attended weekly card games and enjoyed homecooked meals and lots of attention. Ralph and his son-in-law, Bob, spent a lot of time together and grew quite close.

Eventually he moved into Hopedale and The Oaks Assisted Living and once again made friends at his new "apartment". His end came quickly. He received wonderful care from Integrity Hospice and died peacefully with Johnny Cash songs playing in his head. He was loved by all who knew him, and he will be missed.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Elenore, as well as his daughter-in-law, Terry Stephens, his son-in-law, John Devine, all his siblings and their spouses, his parents, and many of his friends.

Ralph is survived by his daughters, Vanessa Devine (Tucson, Arizona) and Melanie Grand and her husband Bob, (Springfield, Missouri), his son, Mark Stephens (Potrero, California); as well as grandchildren Patricia Stephens, Marcus Stephens (wife Bona), Stephen Grand, Emily Grand, and Rachel Grand (husband Wayne Conway), and great grandchildren Lillian Conway and Samuel Stephens, great cousin, Ellen (Turnbow) Lassetter. Many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews survive him as well.

A celebration of his life will be announced later.