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In Loving
Memory Of
After a While
40th Anniversary
Anita Stepan
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After a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t always mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t
contracts and presents aren’t promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of a man and not the
grief of a child.
And you learn to build all your roads
on today because tomorrow’s ground
is too uncertain for plans, futures have
a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that sunshine
burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and
decorate your own soul instead of
waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
that you really are strong
and you really do have worth,
And can learn and Learn
With every good bye you can Learn …..
July 21,1953
April 8, 2012
Anita Lynne Stepan
Born
July 21, 1953
Groton, Connecticut
Died
April 8, 2012
Fairview, Montana
Mass of the Christian Burial
10:00 a.m., April 16, 2012
St. Catherine’s Catholic Church
Fairview, Montana
Presiders
Father Ned Shinnick
Music
Pam Burman
Janet Duda
Casketbearers
Kirk Johnson
Dace Buxbaum
Lane Flagen
Justin Stepan
Cory Wheeler
Nathan Zugg
Honorary Casketbearers
All of Anita’s many friends and
her brothers at Assumption Abbey
Ushers
Lloyd Lester
Daryl Flagen
Eddy Falkenhagen
Interment
Fairview Cemetery
Fairview, North Dakota
Lunch will be served at the church
following graveside services
Remembrances and condolences may
be shared with the family at
www.fulkersons.com
The life that I have Is all that I have And all that I have is yours The love that I have Of the Life that I have Is yours & yours & yours A sleep I shall have ~ A rest I shall have Yet death will be a pause. For the peace of my years In the long green grass will be Yours & yours & yours. Anita was born along with her twin brother, Bill, on July 21, 1953, at a Navy Submarine Base in Grotan, CT to William and Dorothy Mae (Bebout) Davis. Her father was a naval officer so she moved a lot in her younger days on the east coast. A few years later, William and Dorothy loaded up the 7 children in a 1956 Ford Sta on Wagon and moved them to California for a few years. Next came the new duty sta on in Hawaii. Anita a ended school there for 5 years and one more move came in 1970. They moved to a Navy base, Jim Creek Naval Staon, North of Sea le, WA. As senior in high school, she met a Seabee sailor, named Robbie, and began a new adventure. On February 25, 1972, Anita was united in marriage to Robert “Robbie” Stepan in Spokane, WA. She always wanted to live on a farm and raise a garden and have animals. Anita raised chickens, ducks, baby lambs, baby calves, dogs, and horses. For the first ten years of her marriage she had no children, and then in 1981 her dreams came true with the arrival of her son, Ryan. In 1986, her family was completed with the arrival of her daughter, Anna. She raised two wonderful and loving kids and they were the love of her life. She was a wonderful mom and took care of us all. Her religion was very special to her and in the 90’s, Anita studied hard and faithfully and joined the Catholic Church. Anita and Robbie became snow birds 4 years ago and spent the last 4 winters in southern California at a li le town on the coast. She loved her daily 2 -3 - 4 mile walks on the beach with Robbie. To her it was her heaven on earth. Robbie and Anita were so very happy and thankful for those mes. This year they celebrated their 40th Anniversary at this very special place. Anita loved her children so very much. She also loved her yard and flowers, and spent many many hours working there. She was very talented and her home was full of love and crea ve things. Anita was very ac ve as a Hospice volunteer. She was a member of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, Fairview, MT and an Oblate at the Assump on Abbey in Richardton, ND. Anita died in her sleep early Easter Sunday morning, April 8, 2012, at her home in Fairview. Surviving her are: her husband, Robert “Robbie” Stepan, Fairview, MT; her son, Ryan Stepan, Fairview, MT; her daughter, Anna Stepan, Wa ord City, ND; her mother, Dorothy Davis, Walnut Creek, CA; her twin brother, Bill (Akiko) Davis, Dublin, CA; her five sisters, Mary Blakney, Concord, CA, Debbie (Gary) Vandenbroek, Dubin, CA, Kathy Lebeuf, Walnut Creek, CA, Shari (Sco ) Lebaron, Mar nes, CA, and Susie Allbri on, Dewey, AZ; two brother-in-laws, Mark “Butch” (Jill) Stepan, Helena, MT and Richie Stepan, Jerusalem; sister-in-law, Marlys (Dan) Ridgeley, Great Falls, MT; nine nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, William Davis, her in-laws, Louis and Pat Stepan.