Jim Stevenson

Jim D. Stevenson, 68, of Kimball, died at his home in Kimball on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at the First English Lutheran Church in Kimball with Pastor Amanda Esping officiating. Burial will be in the Kimball Cemetery with military graveside honors performed by Kimball VFW Post #2243. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. Friends may visit www.cantrellfh.com to view the obituary and leave condolences for the family. Memorials have been established to the Kimball Eagles Lodge. The services have been entrusted to the Cantrell Funeral Home.

Jimmie Dale Stevenson was born in Mooreland, Oklahoma on July 4, 1944, the son of Clyde and Fern (Cleckner) Stevenson. He attended elementary school in Mayfield and Quinlan, Oklahoma and then graduated from the Mooreland High School in 1962. He worked on a harvest crew and later moved to Kimball. He enlisted in the US Navy on November 17, 1965 and honorably served his country during the Vietnam Conflict. Jim was married to Jackie Gehrke in Kimball on December 4, 1966 who he met through a blind date set up by one of his friends. He was discharged from the Navy on October 29, 1967. The family moved to the Omaha area and lived there for a short time before moving back to Kimball where they farmed. He owned the Kawasaki dealership in Kimball in the 1970’s. Jim later went to work for the Department of Roads in the 1980’s and retired in 2007. He loved to go fishing and take his grandsons along. He was a member of the First English Lutheran Church in Kimball and an honorary member of the Kimball Fire Department. He was also an active member of the Kimball Eagles Lodge and had served as treasurer for many years. He loved his family and was especially fond of his grandchildren.

Survivors include his daughters Jill Stevenson of North Platte, NE., Amy (Mike) Rooney of Concordia, MO., and Kara Dike of North Platte, NE; brothers John (Phillys) Stevenson of Weatherford, OK; sisters Vinita Ware of Savannah, MO., Ruth (Melvin) Bird of Woodworth, OK., Jean (Garry) Wilcox of Plain City, OH., and Doris Eifert of Enid, OK; grandchildren Scott and Jaden Dike and Megan Rooney. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, brothers Wayne, Merlyn Lee, Leon and Duane.