Clyde E. Stevens

Clyde Edward “Steve” Stevens, 87, of St. Joseph, passed away Friday, September 26, 2008 at Lakeland Continuing Care Center in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:30 A.M. Monday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Cremation will follow the service with burial of ashes at North Shore Memory Gardens. Friends may call from 4:00 until 7:00 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the YMCA in St. Joseph. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Clyde was born on October 18, 1920, in Horry County, South Carolina. He was legally blind from an early age, but didn’t let that handicap slow him down. Clyde survived the Influenza Epidemic that took his mother and other family members. He was a Graduate from Cedar Springs School for the Blind at Spartanburg SC. During WWII, he was employed at a textile mill in Spartanburg. Clyde returned to school and graduated with Massage training and worked at the YMCA of Spartanburg, S.C. He then took the position of Health Club Director at the Benton Harbor YMCA. Shortly after moving to Benton Harbor, Clyde married Doris Marie Cantrell on July 23, 1954 in Polk County, NC. He was employed for 28 years at the YMCA, retiring in 1981. He was the President of Calvin Britain PTA when his boys were attending school in the 1960’s. Clyde was a former member of the First Baptist Church in Benton Harbor, former member & past president of the Benton Harbor Lions Club, where he had 35 years of perfect attendance, and a member of St. Joseph Elks #541. Clyde is survived by his wife Marie; four sons-Roger (Georgia) Stevens of Brownsburg, IN, Phil (Kathy Scarry) Stevens of Sodus Twp., Darrell (Teresa) Stevens of St. Joseph, Brian (Wendi) Stevens of Coloma; eight grandchildren- Nathanael, Heather, Emily, Andrew, & Heidi Stevens, Samantha & Brian D. Stevens II, & Ryan Stevens; numerous nieces & nephews; and a special family friend Thelma Brown. He was preceded in death by his siblings-Kirby, Alice, Eliza, Samuel, Mood & Dottie.