Services for James Rye Stephenson of 778 North Merton, World War II veteran, who died at 4:30 p.m. yesterday at Methodist Hospital, will be at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow a Memphis Funeral Home. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery. He was 53 yesterday.

Mr. Stephenson had been ill for six years. He was retired as manager of Muscari Distributors. He served with the Navy during World War II and was a member of Raleigh Baptist Church.

He was born in Alamo, Tenn., and lived in Memphis almost all his life. He was also a member of the Scottish Rite, Al Chymia Temple, Pr Avenue Masonic Lodge and the Stonewall Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star.

He leaves his wife, Mrs. Wanda Stephenson, a daughter, Mrs. Gayle Woodruff of Evansville, Ind.; two sons, Wilford Franklin Stephenson of Indianapolis and Larry Stephenson of Evansville; his mother, Mrs. Frankie Stephenson of 788 North Merton; a brother, E.B. Stephenson of Glasgow, Ky.; two sisters, Mrs. Jonnie (sic) Whitaker of 788 North Merton and Mrs. John C. Smith of Stuttgart, Ark.; and three grandchildren.