John Lawrence Stevens III

NEWPORT NEWS - John Lawrence Stevens III, 73, passed away in Asheville, NC, on December 31, 2014 after a short illness. Born January 24, 1941 in Newport News, Virginia, he was the son of John L. Stevens Jr. (Jack) and Nettie Skelly Stevens. John spent his childhood in the bustling Hilton Village area, attended Hilton Elementary School, was very active in BS Troop 43, and spent many summer days playing and life guarding on Hilton Pier. He went on to graduate from Warwick High School in 1959. Immediately following graduation, John joined the United States Marine Corps and participated in the "Platoon Leader Course". This program essentially provided him an ROTC scholarship before entering Virginia Tech. He became a Tech graduate in 1964 earning a degree in Metallurgy and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. John quickly found his niche with the Marines by earning his wings and flying the then new A-6 all-weather attack bomber. Following three rigorous tours in Vietnam, John returned to continue to serve in the Washington, DC area. While in Hendersonville, NC paying respects to the family of a fallen comrade, he met Anna Swann of Tryon, NC. John and Anna were married in 1969 and had one son, John L. Stevens IV (Jay). He retired from the Marines as a Major in 1984 and remained in Northern Virginia for a number of years. John enjoyed helping people by tutoring math and science. He also enjoyed the out-of-doors with fellow hunt club members in Fluvanna County, VA. Later, John moved to Virginia Beach where he volunteered at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. He also served as an election official in Virginia Beach and provided incredible and valuable proofreading for his brother-in-law, Ray Taylor, regarding Ray's transportation writings. For the past two years, John has been living with his son, Jay, in Maggie Valley, NC. He and Jay thoroughly enjoyed these two years together, and John was able to expand his love of nature learning about and observing the re-introduction of elk herds in the Great Smoky Mountains. John is survived by his son, Jay, of Maggie Valley, NC; his sister, Mary Jane Stevens Taylor of Austin, TX; a brother, Thomas Stevens and his wife, Jean, of Williamsburg, VA; and a sister-in-law, Debbi Stevens of Newport News, VA; along with several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his wife Anna Swann Stevens, his brother James Stevens, his brother-in-law Admiral Ray Taylor, and his parents Jack and Nettie Stevens. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM Saturday, January 10 at Grace United Methodist Church, 1209 Country Club Rd, Newport News, VA. The family will receive guests in the Narthex following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that a contribution be made to the Wounded Warrior Project in John's memory.