Tula Rose Fanos Stephenson, of Mountain View, passed away in the late evening of April 11, at the age of 95 1/2. Tula was born October 16, 1923, in the San Joaquin farming community of Lodi, California, the youngest of three children, to Greek immigrants from the island of Cephalonia.

Tula was very proud of her Greek heritage. She could speak and write in the Greek language, and corresponded with family members from the "old country". In 1972 she and her husband Sam traveled to Greece and had a joyful reunion with relatives she had never met in person.

Tula was preceded in death by many of her beloved family members: her husband of 64 years, Samuel Stephenson, her parents, Panagiotis (Peter) and Olivia Fanos, brother, Angelo Fanos, sister, Angeliki (Angie) Mitchell, and niece, Judi Quaill. She is also predeceased by her dear Uncles, Louis and Andrew, her Aunt Rose, sisters-in law, Esther Fanos, Mary Pifferini, and Mignon Stephenson and brothers-in-law, Grant Mitchell and Errett Stephenson.

Tula is survived by her four children, Joy Stephenson Kick (Joseph), Janice Marrello (Vince, deceased), David Stephenson (Deborah), and Mark Stephenson, grandchildren Teresa Flynn (Brian), Molly Zarzar (Jonathan), Jonathan Stephenson, and Michael Stephenson and great-grandchildren John and Freya Flynn and Lillian Zarzar. Tula was devoted to her many nieces and nephew, dear cousins Carol Roseberry (John, deceased) and Nancy Field (Ed, deceased) and all their descendents. She had many dear friends including informally adopted sons, Qumarrs Ahmadi and Farshad Sasai.

Tula grew up on a farm out in the country with acres of grapevines, fruit trees, many animals as well as dairy cows. She helped with the many farm chores. Elementary school was a two-room school house where she learned to speak English, became an excellent student, and participated in the school musicals. She had a sweet singing voice.

Tula graduated from Lodi High School where she was Year Book Editor. She was active in her family's church, Bethel. She played organ, practicing early in the morning at College of the Pacific in Stockton. Tula was a voracious reader and enjoyed sewing and needlework. She attended Stockton Delta College and Wheaten College in Illinois.

War years, Tula worked in South San Francisco welding grids used for radar. She lived with her Aunt and Uncle in Redwood City at the time and courtship commenced with her future husband, Sam Stephenson, with whom she was well acquainted since he attended the same church as her aunt and uncle. Prior to her marriage she returned to Lodi and worked as a stenographer in Stockton and completed her AA degree from Stockton Delta College.

Tula and Sam were married on November 17, 1946 and moved to Redwood City where they worked and saved to build a home. Tula was employed at the Palo Alto hospital as a secretary. Together, Tula and Sam purchased a lot in Mt. View and built their two story dream home, moving in before the floors were completed.

Tula lovingly raised her family of four children, chauffeuring them to scouts and church, planning wonderful vacations, sewing their clothing, cooking, while remaining unstoppable in her passion to host family gatherings and welcome friends and strangers into her home. Foreign Stanford "home-stay" students, extended family members, old friends, and new friends all found good food and conversation around Sam and Tula's round dining table, where there was always room for one more.

Tula was the school secretary at Benjamin Bubb school for seventeen years, which helped to satisfy her deep interest in the Education field. After retirement, she and Sam enjoyed their daily walks, gardening, much visiting with family and friends, traveling and church activities. She had more time for needlework, quilting and nurturing her roses. Sam and Tula made themselves available to babysit grandchildren, to help friends and family whenever or wherever the need arose, be it painting their homes or cooking a meal. They were faithful and active members of the First Baptist Church of Los Altos (now Bridges) for more than 60 years.

Tula had a sweet personality with a quirky sense of humor. She was a worker. "Lazy" was the worst possible adjective. Yet she was able to sit down with a cup of coffee and cookies to visit awhile, if a neighbor or a friend stopped by.

In her later life, Tula suffered for more than 20 years from memory loss. Her husband, Sam, passed away in December of 2010. Tula spent her final years in Memory Care Facilities where she continued to be a loving presence, always concerned about her fellow residents. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at Crescent Villa in Sunnyvale on April 11, 2019.

There was a private family burial at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto on April 19 and a Celebration of Life service was held June 22, 2019 at Bridges Community Church. If desired, donations may be made in Tula's name to the Alzheimer's Association.