Michael Snow Stevens

MICHAEL SNOW STEVENS, loving husband to his wife Kim of 34 years, went to be with the Lord Saturday, the 24th of May 2008, at the age of 58. Michael had valiantly battled cancer and was free from that disease when he succumbed to pneumonia. His exceptionally full life revolved around raising his three grandchildren with his wife Kim. No matter what his schedule demanded, Michael was present to coach Anthony's and Gracie's full slate of games, horseback ride with Kassidy and as only he could do, while simultaneously blending phone calls from CEOs and top elected officials as he participated in kids' birthday parties and daily fun. In the business arena Michael was exceptionally talented. Michael Stevens Interests and its affiliates acquired, developed, and operated more than 80 real estate projects, including over 10,000 apartment units and 40 different commercial projects representing more than 10 million square feet of rentable building area. All this was accomplished with great loyalty and dedication of all the incredible associates and employees he loved so much. But his greatest contributions were not to his own business, but to the City, State, and Nation that he loved. Michael led the financing and development of more than $1 billion dollars of public or non-profit projects, including such major Houston projects as the conversion of the downtown Rice Hotel to the Rice Lofts, the 1,200 room Hilton Americas Convention Hotel, the Houston Astros Minute Maid Park, and the Houston Texans Reliant Stadium. As Chairman of the Building and Interiors Committee of Baylor College of Medicine, he led the development of many research, office, and clinic buildings as well as the new one million square foot hospital, clinic, and office campus currently under construction. Michael Stevens also actively served on the Board of Directors/Trustees and Executive Committee of Baylor College of Medicine, the Greater Houston Partnership and the Governors Business Council, and the Board of Directors of the Memorial Hermann Foundation and Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC. Michael was recently appointed by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to the Sunset Advisory Commission, where he greatly anticipated making a lasting difference in our state government's structure and efficiency. Michael Steven's involvement in state and local transportation issues was extensive. He chaired the Transportation Task Force of the Governor's Business Council, served as Vice Chair of the Greater Houston Partnership Transportation and Infrastructure Advisory Committee, and was on the Executive Committee of the Gulf Coast Regional Mobility Partners. In addition, he served on the Executive Committee of the Texas Urban Transportation Alliance promoting urban transportation efforts statewide and was appointed to serve on the Study Commission on Transportation Financing by Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Greater Houston Partnership's Travel Rate Improvement Project (TRIP 2000), responsible for the development of a congestion management plan for the Houston region. Among his other volunteer positions, Michael Stevens faithfully served as a Deacon at Second Baptist Church and was the Chairman of the church's Centurion Foundation, which televises the sermons of Dr. Edwin Young that reaches a worldwide audience of over 1.25 million people per week. He also served as Chairman of the church's Building Committee for the Woodway Campus in Houston, Texas. Michael Stevens was a native Houstonian, attending Robert E. Lee High School and graduating from the University of Houston in 1973, with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. He was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps. Michael was 18 years old and Kim was 16 years old when they first met and fell in love. His great love for children won Kim's heart immediately. Their life together began with little more than the love they had for each other and for life itself. His brilliance, dazzling smile, and the sparkle in his eyes will never be forgotten. Their love for each other even in the last days of his illness was an example to all who supported and attended him during their courageous fight for his life. His zest for life was contagious to all who knew him, especially the children and young people who were drawn to him. Michael was quick to witness that the light in his life came from his love of Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior. His impact on the lives and on the face of this community will be felt for generations to come. He will be greatly missed. But that tribute to Michael Stevens is incomplete. How do you measure a man's life? The Measure of a Man is not how tall he stands, how wealthy or intelligent he was. The measure of a man God knows and understands, for He looks inside to the bottom of his heart.and what's in the heart defines the measure of a man. Michael Snow Stevens is survived by his loving wife Kim, who shared his life for 34 years, beloved grandchildren Grace Noel MacKenzie, Anthony Michael MacKenzie and Kassidy Ann MacKenzie, as well as one brother, Vance Stevens and his wife Bobbie and their two children Glenn and Dusty, sister Leslie MacClean and her husband Chris, their two children Warren and Emily MacClean, and sister in law Linda K. Stevens and her 7 children and 11 grandchildren. Michael was preceded in death by his father and mother, Darrell and Marianne Stevens, and his older, half-brother Darrell Stevens, Jr. Friends gathered last night for a visitation with the family at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. A funeral service will be conducted at eleven a.m. this morning, Wednesday the 28th of May, in the Worship Center of Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway in Houston, where Dr. H. Edwin Young will serve as officiant. Honored to serve as casket bearers are Steve Aldridge, George Boutros, Steve Dillard, Edd Hendee, David Hughes, Skip McBride, Scott Posell, Jim Smith, Steve Wagner, and Dick Weekley. Serving as honorary casket bearers are Hon. Rick Perry, Atty. General Greg Abbott, Hon. Bill White, Dr. Peter Traber, Bruce Belin, Hon. Tom DeLay, Dr. Jim DeLoach, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Dr. Michael Duncan, Judge Robert Eckels, Mayor Bob Lanier, Dr. Rick Leachman, Bob McNair, Bob Perry, Joe Reynolds, Mike Richards, and Ben Sprague. Interment will follow, via an escorted cortege, at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer, in Houston. In lieu of usual remembrances and in celebration of Michael's life, the family requests with gratitude that contributions in his memory be directed to Second Baptist School Michael Stevens Fund, 6400 Woodway, Houston, TX. 77057.