Stephen Neal Stevens, 73, of New Castle, passed away Thursday, November 7, 2024, at Henry Community Health. He had been living with prostate cancer for several years and faced each challenge and treatment that came his way with strength and courage. He never lost his positive outlook on life.
Steve was born April 12, 1951, in New Castle to the late Everett K. Stevens and Charlene Neal Smith. A 1969 graduate of Lewisville High School, he was also a member of the first athletic teams to play under the Tri Jr.-Sr. High School banner. In 1971, Steve enlisted in the United States Air Force. After attending basic training in San Antonio, Texas, he completed his technical training at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois, where he learned how to work on the Minuteman nuclear missile silos. Steve spent the remainder of his service stationed at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota, where he worked on maintaining the integrity of strategically placed missile silos across the Dakotas and the American West. In 1975, the same year as his honorable discharge at the rank of Sergeant, Steve competed in the Olympic Arena SAC Missile Combat Competition at Vandenberg AFB in California, winning the category of Best Electronic Laboratory Team. He was very proud of his military service and looked back on his time as a young newlywed living in the Black Hills of South Dakota with great affection.
Steve began his employment at Chrysler Corporation in 1969. He worked afternoons while completing his high school diploma during the day. He studied at Ball State University on the GI Bill but ultimately chose to complete an apprenticeship as a millwright at Chrysler. He worked at the Chrysler plant in New Castle as a journeyman millwright, with a stint at Ingersoll Steel during the period of layoffs implemented by Chrysler in the 1980s. He also worked for his mother-in-law, Ruth Hayworth, as an insurance agent at Chapin-Hayworth Insurance for a time. During his 34 years of employment at Chrysler, he used his skills as a talented welder, crane operator, and millwright to help install, repair, and maintain machinery around the plant, among other duties. He served as the UAW Local #371 president from 1999 to 2001. Steve received a lot of satisfaction from his work, and he often shared countless stories from his time at “the shop.”
Steve served on the South Henry School Board for several years, where he was known as an advocate for teachers. He was a member of Spiceland Friends Meeting. He enjoyed fishing, especially fly fishing, skeet shooting, woodworking, archery, metalwork, following his grandchildren’s sports, being outdoors, and traveling. Steve always tried to put his best foot forward and set a good example. He was an incredible storyteller with a true gift for detail, and he loved to laugh. He had the ability to brighten a room with his presence and make whoever he was engaging with feel truly seen. Gatherings were always more fun when Steve was there.
There was no accomplishment in Steve’s life that he was more proud of than the family he built alongside his cherished wife of over 51 years, Judy Hayworth Stevens, of New Castle. In addition to Judy, he leaves two devoted sons, who he never failed to share his pride in: Seth (Amy) Stevens of New Castle and Kyle (Allie) Stevens of Los Angeles, CA. He also leaves grandchildren who brought new warmth and joy to his life: Maren Stevens and Sean Stevens, both of New Castle. In their five decades together, Steve and Judy built a life starting as newlyweds in South Dakota before returning to New Castle to start their family. Each summer, they would take their boys on road trip vacations across the country, which included hiking in the Badlands of South Dakota, fishing in the remote wilderness of Canada, and learning how to boogie board alongside his two boys in the surf of the Atlantic Ocean. They eventually found Sunset Beach, North Carolina, where they vacationed as a family for over 20 years with many special friends. In their retirement, Steve and Judy were also fortunate enough to find another paradise in Captiva Island, Florida, where they would winter, enjoying dock fishing, shelling, and making new lifelong friends.
Steve also leaves behind his loving siblings: Pam (Tom) Pyle of Spiceland, Jeff (Joyce) Stewart of Lewisville, Gretchen (Mike) Derrickson of Spiceland, and Hardy (Rae) Stevens of Carrollton, KY; brother-in-law Bill Hurst of Portland; several nieces, nephews, aunts, cousins, and countless friends from across Indiana to Los Angeles and Florida. Both Steve and Judy made friends wherever they went, and his loss has been deeply felt by many of his sons’ friends, who often felt they had gained a new friend in each of them.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Everett Stevens and Charlene Neal Smith; in-laws Bill and Ruth Hayworth; sister-in-law Jan Hurst; and his grandparents.
Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., Thursday, November 14, 2024, at Spiceland Friends Meeting. Funeral services will follow at 2:00 p.m. at the church, with Eric Bowman officiating. Entombment will be at a later date at South Mound Cemetery Columbarium. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Steve and Judy Stevens Designated Fund, c/o Henry County Community Foundation, 700 S. Memorial Drive, New Castle, IN, or at henrycountycf.org. You may share condolences and memories of Steve at www.hinsey-brown.com.