Earl K. "Pete" Stevens

Earl Kenneth "Pete" Stevens

On Friday, December 29, 2017, the ever-quiet soul of Earl Kenneth "Pete" Stevens ascended heaven-bound to rejoin his large family circle. In a family that loved reunions as much as the Stevens clan did, this was surely a happy gathering.

His good fortune at having lived into his 88th year came at the misfortune of having outlived parents, John William and Minnie Margaret (Daugherty) Stevens; wife Ida Mae (Leasure) and beloved daughter of that union, Sharon Rae Stevens Cutter, and wife Cora Mae (Mendel).

Also preceding “Pete” in death were seven siblings and their spouses, sisters: Inez (Charles) Calendar; Virginia (Carl) Harmeyer; Ruby (Jack) Clayton and brothers: Paul (Teresa); William (Eleanor); Delmar Bine (Hilda); David (Marjorie).

Remaining to remember and honor him are his daughter and son-in-law, Debbie (Rick) Graver of Enon, OH, son-in-law Robert D Cutter, of Aurora, IN; 3 grandsons and spouses: Jason Earl (Jennifer) Cutter of Loveland, OH; Jared Robert (Tonya) Cutter of Cincinnati, OH; Kyle Richard (Chiara) Graver of Cleveland, OH; much loved great granddaughter, Emma Mae Cutter; many nieces and nephews.

Pete was born on the family farm in Dillsboro on May 4, 1929. He was the sixth child of J.W. and Minnie Stevens. Pete was the fourth-born of five sons and a brother to four sisters. His only surviving sibling is younger sister, JoAnn (Jack) Reif. All nine children were raised in a loving home and learned early in their lives the virtue of hard work. His ongoing faith was evidenced by a humble life of helping others and a steady stream of acts of kindness.

In keeping with his upraising, Pete was faithful to his family and could be depended on to help out at every turn without complaint. He and his brothers were often found working together in fields of hay or tobacco. They equally enjoyed swapping stories and jokes when they took breaks under any nearby shade tree. Pete was distinguished by his self-styled, sleeveless work shirts that he wore during summer months.

He was uniquely talented at woodworking and spent endless hours in the shop he crafted in a small building behind the house. There he finished countless projects from picture frames to wood boxes and even a wooden doll house. Most relatives were gifted with a pair of log/stick reindeer for their winter yards. No project was too small, too large, or too complicated for his patient hands. Finished products were perfect in every detail and delivered to the lucky recipient at no charge.

His patience, generous spirit, and skills were ample. He was also known to cater to stray cats by providing a safe haven in the garage complete with heat lamp to warm them on cold nights. No needy creature escaped his notice.

During most of his life, time was Pete's friend. To everyone who knew him, he was unrushed, steady, and as dependable as sunrise. When his siblings began to show their age, he drew their envy by staying the same. In appearance and mannerisms, he was seemingly ageless.

We all admired Pete's simple, quiet, lifestyle and unending patience. The person who coined the phrase "patience is a virtue" would have crowned him king! No matter when and where you saw him, his dry wit and sense of humor were not overlooked. His easy smile and chuckle still bring a happy memory to all who admired his ease with life. By hope and grace, his grandchildren will carry the "Pete gene" into their futures. He surely smiles down on them each time they slow their gait to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

Pete Stevens was the "salt of the earth," a comment of high praise he easily earned from relatives and other country folk like himself. His family and friends will miss this gentle soul who lived and loved quietly among us. We thought he would live forever just being "Pete."

"A dad's love is a quiet love... strong yet gentle... forever in the heart."

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