Mel was born August 23, 1926, in Wapella, the son of Warren John and Faye Mewhinney Stevens Sr. He married Lois Shoemaker on June 12, 1949. She survives.
Also surviving are their children, Tom (Therese) Stevens; Gloria (Mark) Wey; and Jeanette (Bruce) Kindred; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Warren, Allen, and Wayne.
Mel graduated from Heyworth High School in 1944. After graduation, he joined the United States Army during WWII. He was in field artillery and was in charge of radio communications. Later in life, he worked at State Farm Insurance for 40 years in administrative services. Mel was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church, Le Roy. He enjoyed the study of wildlife and enjoyed fishing, hunting, and trapping. He also loved gardening, especially planting tomatoes.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to the OSF Hospice caregivers for their compassionate care they gave Mel.
A private funeral service will be held at a later date at East Lawn Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the American Cancer Society. Online condolences may be shared with the family at eastlawn-bloomington.com.
