Donald Stevens, 84, worked for IBM, was woodworker

Sunday, 25 October 2009 18:09

Donald E. Stevens of Ridgefield, a former IBM manager who later ran a woodworking business here, died on October 23, while convalescing at Filosa Nursing Home. He was 84 years old and the husband of Helen Stevens.

Mr. Stevens was born Jan. 10, 1925 in Elmhurst, IL the youngest of four children to Earl and Gladys Stevens.  He joined the Marine Corp directly out of high school in 1943 and served in the South Pacific as radio repairman.

He was discharged in 1945 as a staff sergeant and went on to attend Purdue University graduating with a degree in electrical engineering.  At school he was president of his fraternity Delta Chi.  While at Purdue he met his wife, Helen I. Watkins and they were married March 1950.  Upon graduation, he was employed with IBM, and for 31 years he worked in the Field Service Division.  IBM promoted him steadily, ultimately sending him through the Program of Management Development at Harvard Graduate School of Business.

Mr. Stevens took early retirement in 1980 due to health reasons and pursued his love of woodworking, running his own business from his Farmingville Road home for the next 29 years.

Through the years he was a member of the Charles Pope Choristers, the Ridgefied Rangers  and the  Ridgefield Men’s Club , recently becoming an honorary member. He also conducted chair caning classes with Max Caldwell, to raise funds for the Ridgefield Historical Society.

Besides his wife, Mr. Stevens is survived by  sons Gary and (Christena) Stevens of Rochester, NY, Craig and (Renee) Stevens of  Saranac Lake, NY, Mark and (Darlene) Stevens of Tacoma, WA,  his daughter, Susan Thompson of Clinton, CT, and many grand children.  He has one surviving sister, Marilyn Miller, of Hot Springs, AK.

His son, Jeffrey Allen Stevens, third of his five children, died of cancer in 1993.

A memorial service will be held at the Ridgefield Congregational Church on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 pm.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Ridgefield Public Library or to Social Services, Ridgefield Food Pantry, 400 Main St., Ridgefield, CT 06877.