Pastor William Lee Stevens (Pastor Bill) of Warsaw, Ind., went home to be with the Lord at 5:37 a.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, at Grace Village Rehab in Winona Lake, Ind., at the age of 81.
He was a graduate of Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., receiving his BA in Speech and Bible. He attended the Terry Art Institute in Miami, Fla., on scholarship, and he also received a scholarship to the Art Student League in New York City. He continued his education at Mexico City University, and he attended Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, Calif.
He gave up a promising career in art when he felt the Lord calling him to preach. He pastored in Taos, N.M.; Gardena, Calif.; Portis, Kan.; Lake Odessa, Mich.; Brooksville, Fla.; Conemaugh, Pa.; and Harrison Center Church in Etna Green, Ind. Pastor Bill was a member of Community Grace Brethren Church in Warsaw, Ind. He loved God’s word and read through the Bible for many years. One person said of him, “If you pricked Pastor Bill with a fork…scripture would come out.”
He was born on September 1, 1932 in Tulsa, Okla. to Paul Stevens and Kathryn (Cooper) Stevens. On June 7, 1957, he was married for 57 years to Shirley (Walter) Stevens, who survives in Warsaw.
He leaves behind three sons: Timothy (wife Lisa) Stevens (Dublin, Calif.); Philip (wife Deb) Stevens (Dorr, Mich.); Mark (wife Diane) Stevens (Middleville, Mich.); one daughter: Rebecca Stevens (Warsaw, Ind.); eleven grandchildren; two sisters: Susan (husband Tom) Briody (Shady Cove, Ore.); and Deloris (husband Sam) McCamish (Yorba Linda, Calif.). He loved his family dearly and spoke of them as his gifts.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Lisa Stevens; and his brother, Jon Stevens.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 3, 2014 from 1:00 -4:00 p.m. at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana.
His funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 4, 2014 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home of Warsaw and officiated by Pastor Robert Moeller and Pastor Roy Chapin. Burial will follow with a graveside service at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw.
Memorial donations may be directed to Community Grace Brethren Church – Missions, 909 S. Buffalo Street, Warsaw, Indiana and would be appreciated by his family.
Memorial donations may be directed to Community Grace Brethren Church – Missions, 909 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, IN and would be appreciated by his family.