Samuel Whitefield Stevenson

1936 - 2022

STEVENSON, Samuel Whitefield, On March 28, 2022, Samuel Whitefield Stevenson Jr. of Richmond, Va. and South Yarmouth, Mass., went to be with his beloved and loving family: his late wife, Helen Holbrook Stevenson (1935 to 2008); and son, Philip Carlysle Stevenson (1961 to 1984). As he had wished, his death was peaceful and he was surrounded by love, which endures. Born on May 5, 1936, in Richmond, Virginia to Samuel Whitefield Stevenson and Alice Ruth MacDonald Stevenson, and raised there, he attended St. Christopher's School and Princeton University, where he taught Italian for a year after graduation. In 1960, he was appointed to the faculty of the now Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn., where he initially taught French. In 1962, he switched to teaching English and continued that until his retirement in 2006. In addition to teaching, Stevie served as a dorm head for decades, and coached several sports, including track, football, soccer and basketball, especially enjoying his years coaching girls' JV basketball. After retiring, he divided his time between a long-time home in South Yarmouth, Mass., where he could indulge his love of kayaking and fishing, and a new home in his hometown Richmond, where he was delighted to be near his family. His love of reading and opera continued no matter where he was, and it was impossible to find him without multiple books in progress. He is deeply mourned by his dear family: sister, Ruth Stevenson; nephews, William Hendricks and his wife, Amanda Wadsworth and Andrew Nicol and his partner, Leonard Gobin; nieces, Genevieve Hendricks, Sarah Hendricks and her husband, Kevin Badgett and Heather Nicol and her husband, Michael Morse; his great-nieces and nephew, Eleanor and Adeline Badgett, Cecilia Hendricks and Kathryn and Andrew Morse; and several cousins, including Robert and Ross Leckie, Annie Hall, Bette Ann Trask, Barbara Norton and Anne McCabe. A true gentleman and gentle man – but with a wicked sense of humor and love of a good story - Stevie was a wonderful friend, mentor and teacher, and is also deeply mourned by several long-time loving and beloved friends, especially Ted Medrek and Patricia Novak; as well as countless students, whose lives he enriched and who remembered him fondly. He was so happy to meet former students and hear their updates. He loved all his students, perhaps especially those he saw struggling and whom he could help. While ostensibly teaching English, his real goal was to teach his students to think, and he was delighted when they figured that out. His love for his family and friends was boundless, and he maintained that the most important things in life were to be loved and - perhaps even more importantly - to have people to love; additionally, that love was never divided, but expanded infinitely. His passing leaves a hole in many hearts. Family and friends are invited to a memorial service Saturday, August 20, 2022, at 1 p.m. in the Chapel at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn. He will be buried privately in Palisado Cemetery in Windsor, reunited with his beloved wife and son, whom he missed for so many years. Contributions in his memory may be made payable to The Loomis Chaffee School, Alumni/Development, 4 Batchelder Rd., Windsor, Conn. 06095; please note in the memo field Steve Stevenson. The Carmon Windsor Funeral Home is caring for the arrangements. For condolences or directions, please visit carmonfuneralhome.com.