John Christopher STEPHENSON

FUNERAL HOME

Dempsey & Forrest

208 Guyton St

Wanganui, Manawatu-Wanganui

John STEPHENSON Obituary

STEPHENSON, John Christopher. Died peacefully on Monday 16 February 2026, surrounded by family, aged 84 years. Loved Husband of Diana for 58 years. Proud Dad of Tim, David, James, Garrick, Bevan, and Belinda. Loving Grandad to 15 Grandchildren. Friends are invited to a celebration of John's life to be held in the Forrest Lawn Chapel, 208 Guyton Street, Whanganui at 10.00am on Saturday 21 February 2026. John's service will be webcast and can be viewed at www. dempseyandforrest.co.nz 'Watch Services Online'.

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Published by The New Zealand Herald on Feb. 19, 2026.

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Lindsay Benbrook

Yesterday

My condolences to Diana and family. Way back in June 1966, John Chris was heading to Wanganui from Auckland for Queen's Birthday Weekend and asked if I wanted to travel with him. Our family had shifted from Wanganui to Auckland the previous month. John Chris and I headed off late afternoon in atrocious weather and started our way down the Parapara's south of Raetihi. The road was closed due to slips so we headed back to Raetihi but had to stop to top up the radiator in his Mark 1 Zephyr from a roadside creek. We stopped for a toilet break at Mangaweka but when I got back to the car, John Chris was not to be seen. His snoring gave it away as he was buried under all his clothes on the back seat. We finally arrived in Wanganui at 6.30am, 10 hours after leaving Auckland. Great memories that will stay with me. R I P John Chris

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