Christine Rae Schwaegel Stephans, 50, of Clarksville, Tenn. died Monday, June 23, 2008 at her residence in Clarksville after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Born Belleville, Ill., Christy worked at the Parkview Animal Clinic as a veterinary technician. She loved all animals and thoroughly enjoyed her job. Christy attended Kirkwood Baptist Church in Clarksville.

Christy was a fun-loving girl who liked horseback riding, played softball and volleyball, and loved fishing. She was a coach for her children and just loved to cheer them on and help with their sports. She loved searching the farm fields for Indian artifacts.

Christy's family wishes to thank Gateway Hospice in Clarksville for their care and support and also Dr. Gordon West and his wife Debbie, Dr. Jana Howard, and all the staff from the animal clinic for all their years of support, words of encouragement, countless visits at hospital and home, and always being able to help out at a minute's notice. Also thanks to Dr. Pete and his wife Mary Kay who was a great go-between if Christy needed to reach Dr. Pete quickly.

Christy was preceded in death by a sister, Jean Marie Schwaegel, who died June 22, 1961, her paternal grandparents Adolph and Barbara (Fellner) Schwaegel, maternal grandparents Joseph and Wilhelmina (Neff) Mueth.

She is survived by her husband Mark Stephans, whom she married September 15, 1978; one son Victor W. Stephans and his wife Crystal, and her son David; one daughter Jeannie Stephans; and parents Clete and Dorothy (Mueth) Schwaegel. Also surviving are sisters Cheryl (Kyle) Kummer of North Attleboro, Mass., Jackie (Steve) Hausmann of Waterloo, Ill., Joan McNamara of O'Fallon, Ill., and Deanna (Jeremy) Buersken of Ogden, Utah, and nieces and nephews Leah Hendrickson and her daughter Emma; Kyle and Jesse Kummer; Katie, Hillary, and Bradley Hausmann; and Kayla McNamara.

Memorial Donations in honor of Christy are requested to Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, 5005 LBJ Fwy., Ste. 250, Dallas, TX 75244 or Gateway Hospice, 1606 Haynes Street, Clarksville, TN 37043 or Spencer Pet Rescue, 1405 East Highway 50, O'Fallon, IL 62269.

Memorial Service: 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 28 at Kirkwood Baptist Church, Clarksville, TN.

Visitation: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at St. Clare Catholic Church, Shiloh, Ill.

Memorial Mass: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 2, 2008, at St. Clare Catholic Church, Shiloh, Ill., with Rev. James Deiters presiding.

According to her wishes, her body has been donated to science.