John Graham Stephens

9th July 2024

Hi David
I hope you are keeping well.
Please find attached, as requested, my thoughts about my late friend John Stephens.
John was living in Welshpool with his partner at the time of his death in May of this year.
She is Mrs Pam Rutter-Anderson, Sunningdale, Forden, Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8LT.
A memorial service is being held next Tuesday 16 July 2024 at 11:00am at St Mary’s Church, Walton-on-the-hill, Walton, Liverpool to which I will be attending.
Please feel free to edit the attached (below) as you see fit.
I hope to see you soon.
Kind regards
David Barnes

The late John Graham Stephens, 28 April 1946 – 28 May 2024, Liverpool Collegiate 1959-63

I first met John in September 1959. It was my first day at Liverpool Collegiate School. After Assembly, I was trying to find my way where to go and I saw this other boy looking as bemused as me. I asked if it was his first day too and he said yes so, we teamed up and tried to find out where we should be as new boys, together. From that day on John and I became and remained good friends for all of his life.

During our time together at the Collegiate John used to meet me off my bus at the bottom of Erskine Street each morning. He was always an early bird and inevitably arrived well before me.

We were both avid Liverpool FC supporters and would often meet up at Anfield to watch the Reds. I remember one particular evening game against the French side Nantes. Another was Billy Liddell’s testimonial match.

John and his family lived in Country Road in a large flat above the Midland Bank for whom John’s father worked. We spent many an enjoyable Saturday evening there with some of John’s local friends, listening and dancing to the latest pop records.

I left the Collegiate in 1962 and John stayed on in Transitus for another year to improve his tally of ‘O’ Levels, before joining the Midland Bank as a trainee.

John’s career took him to several banking organisations and places in the UK and Jersey, where he eventually retired. John was married twice and had a son and daughter.

John was immensely proud of having attended the Collegiate, as evidenced by his excellent address at one of the COBA dinners.

More recently, John lived in Welshpool with his partner Pam until he passed away peacefully on 28 May 2024.