John L. Stevens

"Cummington, John L. Stevens, 86, of Lilac Ave. died peacefully on Friday, March 14, 2014 at home. Born December 7, 1927, he was the son of Mari (Packard) and Leon A. Stevens. He attended local schools in Cummington, and was a graduate of Northampton High School where he received a reward for good sportsmanship. He also attended Bliss Electrical School in Washington, DC. He served in the US Army in South Korea where he was a registration clerk for the Quartermaster Corp. John worked for WMECO for a short period. In October 1951, he started work with General Electric in Pittsfield, where he participated in high voltage research and later as a components specialist in the Ordnance Division. In his tenure at the Ordinance Division, he presented several national papers on the merits of passive components. He retired in December 1987 after 36+ years at GE. Mr. Stevens enjoyed playing cribbage, washing his cars, sports, fishing, gardening, as well as mowing lawns and roadsides. He has mowed nearly ½ mile of roadsides on Lilac Ave and Nash Rd. for 15 years. He was active in town government where he served as School Committeeman to the CBRSD, commissioner of Trust Funds, and town moderator. He was the third generation to serve in this capacity. He was a member of the Cummington Lions Club and Hampshire Lodge. He married Frances (Jacobs) on November 25, 1950, who passed in 2010 after 59 years of marriage. They have 3 sons, John M and wife Debbie, of Holland MA, Timothy S and wife Stacie of Anchorage, AK, and Todd A. of Mason, OH, along with 6 grandsons (Zachary, Ryan, Clayton, Aaron, Nicholas and Jack), 2 granddaughters (Krystle and Devan), and many nieces and nephews who all loved him dearly. Besides his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his 4 siblings, Bud and Betty Stevens, Virginia Caldwell and Mari Hall. A memorial service will be Saturday, March 22 at 11:00 a.m. at the Village Congregational Church of Cummington, 32 Main Street. Please omit flowers and make donations in his memory to Cummington Lions Club, Cummington Fire Department, Village Congregational Church, P.O. Box 76, Cummington, MA 01026, Dawes Cemetery or Easter Seals Massachusetts, 484 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608. "