Stephen “Steve” Gary Auman, 77, passed from this life at his home on Saturday, October 8, 2016 after an extended illness. He was born March 4, 1939 in the family home in Randolph County, NC to the union of Arcus and Edith Moore Auman. Stephen graduated from Seagrove High School in 1957, after which he proudly served with the United States Air Force as an airborne radio repairman for five years. While stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, he met and married his wife, Yvonne Ford Auman of Columbia, LA. Following separation from the Air Force, the couple moved to New Orleans where Stephen worked for Chrysler Space Division assembling the Saturn 1 first stage rocket. His following position was with Lockheed Georgia in Marietta, GA building the C5A Galaxy airplane. He then transferred to Boeing Space Division at the Mississippi Test Facility testing the Saturn 5 first stage rocket that was used for the first moon landings. After earning his degree in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi, he accepted a position with Belden Wire & Cable in Jena, where he stayed for twenty years. He continued his engineering career with positions in Texas and Arkansas before returning home to Jena. He then worked as a lock and dam operator on the Red River until his retirement at age 63. Stephen had many interests and hobbies including motorcycles, building and flying remote controlled airplanes, RV traveling, and buying and restoring antique tractors. He will be remembered as a quiet, thoughtful man with a wide range of knowledge on many subjects, a good husband, father, friend and always a gentleman.Graveside services were held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Welcome Home Cemetery, just east of Grayson, with Rev. Johnnie Phillips officiating. Interment followed with full military honors provided by the Veterans Honor Guard of Jena, under direction of Kinner and Stevens Funeral Home of Jena. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Jimmie Auman and Jack Auman of Asheboro, NC. Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 53 years, Faye Yvonne Ford Aumanof Jena; son, David Auman and wife Shirley of McKinney, TX; daughter, Pamela Auman of Wilmington, NC; sister, Betty Hughes Davis of Asheboro, NC; and two sisters-in-law, Mae Auman and Gloria Auman, both of Asheboro, NC. Pallbearers were John Ray Smith, Eli Cooper, Darwin Fife, Richard Bradford, Sherman McDowell, and Douglas Prudhomme. Honorary pallbearers were Robert Day and Skeet Cooper. Memorial donations may be made to The National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130; or to the charity of your choice.
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