Obituary of Marvin Brice Stevens

Marvin Brice Stevens passed away on December 15, 2015 at Richland Rehabilitation Center as a result of complications associated with Myelodysplastic Syndrome. He was born on November 11, 1937 to Derwood Stevens and Thelma (Hall) Stevens in Rexburg, Idaho. He enjoyed school and graduated from High School in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 1955. He received an Associate of Arts degree from North Idaho Junior College in 1957. He then entered BYU and left after 2 quarters to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served among the Navajo Indians in Arizona. There he learned to speak the Navajo Language. He returned to earn a Bachelor’s degree at BYU in Math Education. He later earned an M. Ed. degree from BYU. He also received a Ph. D. degree at Washington State University in Educational Administration and Computer Science. He taught math at Orem High School in Utah where he also produced three Broadway musical plays. He was a counselor and assistant principal at Columbia High School and administrative assistant in Richland, Washington. He later was superintendent of schools in Lake Chelan School district (1976- 1988) and Wahluke School District (1988- 1994) where he retired from education. As a young man he worked in the woods with his father and older brother as a logger (with horses), various construction projects, service station attendant and caddie master at a golf course. He worked on a green chainsaw mill in Coeur d’Alene and worked on a dry farm and as an electrician’s helper in Utah while attending BYU. The electrical knowledge was used often later in in life. He served in the Idaho (Artillery) and the Utah (Combat Engineers) National Guard. The family consisted of Sisters Louie Jean (Bruce) Erickson, Donna (Bobbie) Olund, Karolyn (Russell) and Cheryl Ann (Doug) McAtee. All of the sisters are now deceased. Two brothers (Max Stevens and James Stevens) died during child birth. Two brothers, D Larry (Laura Jean Masten) Stevens and Clint Wayne Stevens, have survived him. On November 22, 1965 he was married to Sharon Lee Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in November of 2015. Together they had one daughter Suzanne Marie (Thaynan) Knowlton, and four sons; Nathan Clark Stevens, Matthew Alan (Sheri Stroud) Stevens, Darren Kent (Megan Spence) Stevens and Brett Michael (Lindsay Allen) Stevens. He was active in the LDS Church serving in many different positions. He loved to hunt, fish and play several different sports. He enjoyed singing at BYU with the Oratorio Choir and was part of a mixed quartet that won the BYU Quartet festival. He also enjoyed singing with the church choirs. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Monday December 21, 2015 at the LDS Church in Mattawa, Washington following with a graveside service at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens in Othello, Washington. Memorial contributions are suggested to be made to the Wahluke 2nd branch (Spanish) Missionary fund on behalf of Marv Stevens.