Jimmy Rowe Stephens

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.