D. Marie Stevens

D. Marie Stevens, 84, of St. Joseph, passed away, Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at Hanson Hospice Center in Stevensville. Celebration of Life Services will be held 6:30 P.M. Sunday, February 16 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Friends may visit with the family from 4:30 until 6:30 P.M Sunday at the funeral home. Committal services will be held 11:30 A.M. Monday at North Shore Memory Gardens in Coloma. Memorial donations may be made to the YMCA Family Center in St. Joseph. Those wishing to sign Marie’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Marie was born July 11, 1929 in Green Creek, North Carolina to Nathan & Maggie (Hughes) Cantrell. She was educated in Polk County and worked at Wayne County Memorial Hospital in Goldberg, NC. On July 23, 1954, she married Clyde “Steve” Stevens in Polk County. Soon after, they moved to Benton Harbor and years later in August 1969, to St. Joseph. Marie was employed as a cook at Milton Jr. High School from 1974-1976, at St. Joseph High School from 1977-1980, and at Whitcomb Towers in the 1980’s. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Benton Harbor where she was active in the Women’s Mission Society, Pearl McClave Guild and Mother’s Club. Later, she joined The American Baptist Women’s Ministry in the American Baptist Church of St. Joseph. She and her husband were active members of the Blind Bowlers League at Gersonde’s /Kelly’s Bowl. Marie and family enjoyed vacationing and visiting extended family and friends in the Carolina’s. Her life-long love of cooking and baking was shared over the years with family and friends. Her door was always open and the coffee pot was always on. Marie is survived by her four sons-Roger (Georgia) Stevens of Brownsburg, IN, Phillip (Kathy Scarry) Stevens of Sodus Township, Darrell (Teresa) Stevens of St. Joseph and Brian (Wendi) Stevens of Coloma; eight grandchildren-Nathanael, Samantha (Camden) Henderson, Heather (Robert) Richardson, Brian (Ashley) Stevens, Emily, Andrew, Ryan, Heidi, one great-grandson Gavin Henderson; and special friends-Thelma Brown & Mary Goldtrap. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings-Hermia Fagan, Naomi Greenway, Alta Mae Price, Elizabeth Wall, Elzona Cantrell, Maggie Burke, William & Edward Cantrell, and her husband Clyde “Steve” Stevens on September 26, 2008.