Whitman County Gazette - Serving Whitman County since 1877

Conley Ray Stephenson passed away Tuesday night, January 26, 2021, at the City View Adult Family Home in Colfax, Wash. He was 90.

Conley was born March 16, 1930, in Tacoma, Washington, to Joseph and Olga Ehlke Stephenson. His family moved several times while he was growing up during the depression years.

He graduated from the Tigard, Oregon High School, where he played cornet in the band, and played baseball and basketball. Conley grew up in a musical family and carried that love of music his entire life. He was accomplished on the xylophone, and toured as a youth with his sister as par...