Kenneth Eugene Stephens Sr.

Kenneth Eugene Stephens, Sr., 94, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 21, 2026, at his home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Grassy Branch, Bluefield, West Virginia, and moved at an early age to what was then Norfolk County, Virginia. His family settled in the Bowers Hill and Deep Creek communities of what is now Chesapeake, where he would spend the majority of his life. He is now taken the much-awaited journey to be reunited with the love his life, Daphne Dixon Stephens who passed away in 2024 after 71 years of marriage. Ken is survived by his two children Ken Stephens, Jr. and wife Wanda and Yvette Ghormley and husband McK; three grandchildren, Ted Ambrose, III and wife Heidi, Sam Ghormley, and Jill Ghormley; and three great-grandchildren, Ted IV, Charlotte, and Caroline. Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Nora Stephens. Ken attended Deep Creek High School and entered the US Army Air Corps that later became the US Air Force. After basic training and short training assignments he was assigned to the 20th Air Force, 19th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Squadron where he was a flight engineer on a B-29 bomber named the “Double Whammy”. This portion of his life would be the source of many stories with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren of a boy from the mountains of West Virginia finding himself in Okinawa Japan only a few years after the conclusion of World War II, serving on a bomber crew conducting missions over North Korea. After leaving the Air Force he was hired by Piedmont Airlines in 1954. Piedmont Airlines was always considered his second family where he followed the company from a regional airline with prop driven planes to the jet age. He would spend 35 years with Piedmont retiring as the Chief Mechanic at their Norfolk International Airport location. As his favorite pastime and hobby, Ken was also a pilot and owned, built and overhauled several aircraft including a J-3 Piper Cub and Aeronca Champ flying out of South Norfolk Airport. Ken spent his retirement surrounded by his family and was an avid bowler with the Western Branch Senior Friendship Bowling League. He was a member of Deep Creek United Methodist Church and a 67-year member of Lake Drummond Masonic Lodge No. 178 AF&;AM Lake Drummond where he would share the craft with is son and grandson. A memorial service will be held at Deep Creek United Methodist Church, 141 George Washington Hwy, N., Chesapeake, Virginia, on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM with Masonic Honors. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Ken will be buried at a later date with a private service with military honors at Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to the Shriner’s Hospital.