John Stevens

John Warren Stevens of Kennedyville, MD died on August 18, 2004 at Talbot Hospice House in Easton, MD. He was 82. Born in Waterbury, CT on February 3, 1922, he was the son of the late Mary Elizabeth Warren and Herman Warren Stevens. At a young age he began flute lessons and sang in the St. John’s Choir in Waterbury from age 10 until he was 14. He was enrolled in the Admiral Billard Academy in 1939. Following his graduation from high school, he received a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and for the next two years attended Tanglewood Music Camp in the Berkshire Mountains. He then transferred to Tufts Dental School, which he left early to enlist in the U.S. Army. He served in New Orleans, New Guinea, and the Philippines. He served in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, landing in Lingayan Gulf on the second day of operations. Before he returned to the U.S. he played in the Manila Symphony Orchestra. In February of 1946 he went to work for Wilcox-Crittenden & Company as a marine hardware sales representative, covering a five state east coast area. During this time he played flute and double-bass in the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra. On August 16, 1947 he married the former,Bertha G. Cady. They lived in Cromwell, CT until moving to Kentmore Park on the Sassafras River in 1956. In August of 1960 he married Sally Wilmot and they enjoyed many years of sailing and cruising on the Chesapeake Bay. In the 1970’s he and his wife opened Stevens Yacht Brokerage in Georgetown, MD. In retirement they took several cruises in their sloop, the Sarah Wilmot, to Florida and the Caribbean. Mr. Stevens was an avid woodworker and expert list maker. Mr. Stevens is survived by five children, Jeff Stevens of Crawford, WV, Marilyn Herridge of Easton, MD, Mark Stevens of Egg Harbor, NJ, David Quinn of Chestertown, MD, and Cindy Quinn of Still Pond, MD; seven grandchildren, Georgina Solon of Crofton, MD, Victoria Solon of Easton, MD, Marcy Herridge of Greenwood, DE, Shirin Stevens and Caleb Stevens of Rock Park IL, Ryan Grim and Greg Grim of Still Pond, MD. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2004 at 7:00 P.M. at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., 130 Speer Road, Chestertown, MD, where relatives and friends may call from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Interment will be held later in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Talbot Hospice House, 586 Cynwood Drive, Easton, Maryland 21601. Arrangements by Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., Chestertown, MD.