William Charles Stevens

A Biography of William C. Stevens

William (Bill) C. Stevens, Jr. of Arizona played his final game on February 17, 2026. He was one week shy of his 85th birthday.

Born in Harrisburg, PA, February 24, 1941 as the sole child of Mildred R. Bingaman, Bill benefited from the care, guidance and companionship of his mother's extended family during the height of WWII. The war called to service many of Bill's uncles and aunts stirring in him a lifelong passionate patriotism and respect for all servicemen. Not a patriotic holiday passed without his American flag flying.

As a young boy, Bill reveled in family picnics, hunting and camping trips and old time tent revival meetings where he heard the gospel preached. Though in his youth he sang in the church choir, he was not vocal about his faith but practiced a reverence for God through his bond with nature. This practice he passed on to his children, encouraging them to participate in church and remember God's goodness.

His mother married Harry I. Landis who assumed the role of father to Bill encouraging him to reach Eagle Scout and introducing him to auto racing at the nearby dirt tracks. Thus began Bill's lifelong fancy for racing. His tradition of camping in the Phoenix International Raceway infield with friends and family twice a year eventually inspired him to attend numerous Indianapolis 500 events.

At Hummelstown High School, Bill's social life flourished. In addition to earning multiple Honor Rolls, he participated in just about every club available from theater to future business leaders, to class president.

He earned letters in both football and basketball; however, he suffered a serious leg injury resulting in a 32 day hospital stay and extensive recovery. This was the first of many lifetime injuries and surgeries building Bill's resilience and notoriously positive attitude. He remained both a football and a basketball fan, faithfully holding season tickets to Arizona State University.

By securing a scholarship to Drexel Institute of Technology (now Drexel University), Bill became the first in his family to enroll in college. Though educationally demanding, Bill managed to maintain his active social life thru fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon, Marketing Club and varsity lacrosse. As a defenseman, he was selected to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association North-South All Star Game.

Upon graduating with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Bill worked at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, MI. While interning at Ford, he met his wife of 61 years. Bill married Josephine (Jo) Marie Testa on September 6, 1964. The couple shared a fondness for music, dance, and theater. Over the years they attended a variety of live shows, from Louis Armstrong to Glen Campbell.

Early in his career, Bill attended Dale Carnegie's course "How to Win Friends and Influence People". The lessons he learned here made him a friend to all. He showed genuine interest in other people, remembering their name and encouraging them to talk about themselves. He made others feel important and attentively listened and asked questions relating to others' interests. He rarely talked about himself.

Bill and Jo settled in Norristown, PA where, as a hobby, they maintained a yard bursting with color. They delighted in growing fresh produce for their family of two young daughters. Bill's general love for athletics and proximity to Philadelphia led to a new found interest in hockey. They rarely missed a Philadelphia Flyers game and later cheered for the Phoenix Coyotes.

But the lure of mild winters, warm desert air and blue skies promised in Arizona Highways magazine could not be resisted. In 1976, Bill packed the family in a "woody" station wagon and drove 41 hours straight to new beginnings in Scottsdale, Arizona where he and his wife designed a custom home for their family. Bill prided himself on tending the yard, nurturing his citrus trees and sculpting a manicured lawn. The Grand Canyon became the family's "go to" vacation spot.

He built Burro Engineered Sales, Inc., travelling the Southwest territory in his well-known yellow Dodge camper van offering sophisticated systems to remote mines, power plants and production facilities throughout the land. He memorized the map of every dirt road and small town across the Southwest.

In retirement, Bill occupied himself with maintaining a pristine yard and pool. He could be found in the pool most summer afternoons. Running and hiking kept him fit for backpacking the Grand Canyon and supporting the activities of his grandchildren. Having been significantly impacted by his own lacrosse coach, Bill dedicated many hours to coaching youth and high school lacrosse. Demanding but fair, Coach Bill imparted character development and important life skills to his numerous players.

His social life never dwindled, playing poker regularly and never declining a concert or party invitation. Bill was always up for adventure and planning "the next trip". He frequented the beach side campground in Rocky Point, Mexico and rafted the mighty Colorado River several times. But he most loved resetting to "island time" in Kauai and listening to Jimmy Buffett.

Bill is survived by his wife Jo Stevens; daughters: Michele Stevens and Laurie Gildner (Scott); grandchildren: Christopher Webb (Taylor), Nicholas Webb, Victoria Webb, Andrew Webb (Ashley), Steven Larson, Alexander Larson (Kennedy); and great-grandchildren Sloane Webb and Bennett Webb.

Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 11:00am.

Clearwater Mayo Blvd.

Second Floor

6650 E. Mayo Blvd

Phoenix, AZ