Leon Cates Stephens Sr., born on October 8, 1942 in Hazel Park, Michigan to Luther Stephens and Lula Cates Stephens, passed away on May 5, 2026 in The Woodlands, Texas.

Leon is survived by his loving wife, Sharon Stephens (nee Harnist), of 40 years and his children: Noel Patton, Leon Cates Stephens Jr., Denise Schoth, Bette Chernenko, Tracy Minor; his grandchildren: Leon Cates Stephens III (Trey), Nathan Stephens, Lacey Stephens; and his great-grandson, Jameson Stephens.

Leon lived an extremely full life in his almost 84 years on this planet. In his younger years, he was an athlete and thespian. He was an avid runner, wrestler, and actor. He was a member of Toastmasters International and won several awards. These interests carried on when he got older. He continued running (10Ks) and acting in local community theatre.

Leon is a proud Navy Veteran (1960-1963). Go Navy! While married with 5 children and holding down multiple jobs (bartender, hairdresser, cook, tax preparer), Leon graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. He was also a member of the Jaycees, helping to organize community projects, fundraisers, and social events, such as charity drives and professional mixers.

In 1985, Leon met the love of his life, Army Veteran (Go Army!), Sharon Harnist, at the beer keg at the end of a 10K race in Bedford, Texas. With a shared love of running, the two were married in 1986 at the Stroh's Run for Liberty in Dallas, Texas. And yes, the run ended at the beer keg.

Leon's computer programming career gave him the opportunity to live in many states in the U.S. and took him to Australia. In Australia, he became a master scuba diver and rescue diver and frequently dove the Great Barrier Reef. Here, he turned his water-fearing wife into an ocean lover, even though she remained leery of the water.

Leon loved nothing more than spending time with his family and friends, running, playing games, traveling, and reading. He was an avid reader; while he was fond of fiction, you could also find him enjoying a little light reading on quantum physics or social economics.

Leon will always be remembered by his beautiful, genuine smile, and his laughter. A bit of a comedian, he loved inspiring laughter in others with jokes or his storytelling.

A private, graveside service for Leon will be held on May 8, 2026, at 11:00 am at Klein Memorial Park, 14711 FM 1488, Magnolia, TX, 77354. 281-252-3428