Robert W. Bevan

BEVAN CLEMMONS ~ Robert "Bob" Bevan Dec. 27, 1959 ~ Aug. 21, 2011 Robert "Bob" Bevan, 51, died Sunday afternoon, August 21, at Forsyth Medical Center. A Memorial Mass for Bob will be held August 26, at 11 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, W-S, with a bereavement luncheon following the Memorial where the family can receive friends. Bob was born in Buffalo, NY, on December 27, 1959, to Patricia (King) Detty and Thomas D. Bevan but raised in Circleville, OH, where he graduated from high school. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy entering the Submarine Force (Nuclear Power Engineering) and faithfully served his country as a Nuclear Machinist Mate from September 1978 to June 1999, earning several medals and citations along the way, including multiple Navy Commendation Medals, 4 Navy Achievement Medals, Meritorious Unit Commendations, as well as several Letters of Commendations citing exemplary leadership, superb managerial skills, professional performance, and unmatched technical expertise. He retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, GA, in June 1999 and moved to NC to begin his civilian career as a Plant Engineer with Johnson Controls, Inc., which spanned almost 12 years. He advanced to Pasting Area Manager supervising over 50 employees and was soon promoted to the Safety and Facilities Manager responsible for all aspects of safety, lead compliance, and more. Earlier this year, he left JCI and went to work for GCA Services and loved the new challenges as their Southeast Safety and Risk Representative doing extensive travel, meeting clients, and performing safety audits. While stationed at Nuclear Power School in Idaho Falls, ID, he met his wife, Karen Ann (Stephens) Bevan at the 1982 Navy Birthday Ball and it was love at first sight. After a whirlwind courtship of only a few months, they married and promptly transferred to the east coast to begin their new life and, at the time of his death, were just a few months shy of their 29th wedding anniversary for which they had planned a week-long Caribbean cruise with their children. He is survived by his wife and their two children, Michael (21) a rising Senior at Wake Forest University and due to be commissioned as a 2LT Army Officer in May and Kayla (19) a rising sophomore at UNC-Charlotte pursuing an elementary education degree. Bob, extremely family-oriented, invested his free time with family and friends, supporting his children through school, sports, and community involvement. While stationed in Kings Bay, he was the president of the Youth Sports Association and administered a program for all youth playing softball, baseball, soccer, and basketball. He was also involved with Cub Scout Pack 218 as a Committee Member and Assistant Cubmaster. After moving to NC, he volunteered with Southeast Little League including running the concession stand and continued his involvement with scouting first becoming a Webelos Assistant Den Leader with Pack 736, moving up to a Committee Member with Troop 736, Scoutmaster for the troop, and then Unit Commissioner. He was extremely active with the West Forsyth JROTC program for which he was recognized by the Superintendent's presentation of a military medal for civilian patriotism. He was a frequent sight at West Forsyth, helping out at the Titan's cross country meets, softball games, and attended his children's sporting events, academic awards banquets, and JROTC drill competitions. Cherishing his memory are his wife, Karen, and their two children, Michael and Kayla, as well as his parents, two brothers, two stepbrothers, and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and dozens of friends, neighbors, and military shipmates. The family would like to express their deepest appreciation and heartfelt thanks to the Nursing Staff of the 5th Floor Cardiac ICU as well as to his physicians for their excellent and compassionate care of Bob.