April 12, 1943 – November 2, 2024
Jimmy Rowe “Ro Ro” Stephens, 81, of Ruidoso, NM, passed from this life peacefully on November 2, 2024, in Las Cruces, NM, surrounded by his wife, daughters, and grandchildren He was born in Brownfield, Texas, to W.L. and Verl (Hulse) Stephens on April 12, 1943.
He started school in Gomez, Texas, and graduated from Brownfield High School in 1961. He married the love of his life, Saundra “Sonnie” Smith on January 25, 1964. In his early adult years, he was a farmer and oil field worker. In later years, he ranched and worked for the Yoakum County Sheriff’s Department as a jailer where he helped many young men on the road to sobriety.
Rowe is survived by Sonnie, his wife of 60 years, his son, Brent and wife Kasey Stephens of Maine, daughters: Lea Ann and husband Jody Wood of Panhandle, Texas, and Cristi Stephens of Plains, Texas. Ro Ro has eight grandchildren: Kristin, Colton, Bailey, Kinlee, Allysah, Blaine, Caden, Derek, and a special granddaughter, Jennifer, from Taiwan, and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by sisters: Theresa Goldston, Senith Hickey, Pam and husband Randy Hicks and sister-in-law, Pat Curtis and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, W.L. and Verl Stephens, his father and mother-in-law, Idris and Maurine Smith, his grandson, Kadin Rowe Stephens, brother-in-law, John Dale Curtis, and great-nephew, Josh Curtis.
His passion in life was playing with his grandkids, great-grandkids, nieces, nephews, and many great-nieces and nephews, plus any other random baby he saw. Everybody loved Ro Ro.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Ratliff Funeral Home, located at 901 Ave E in Plains. The funeral service will take place on Thursday, November 7, 2024, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the First Baptist Church of Plains, located at 1400 TX Hwy 214, Plains, TX. The final resting place will be at Plains Cemetery.
