Stevenson, Joseph 1946 - 2017

STEVENSON, SIMPSON, ROWLEY, MCCLEERY, FLICK, CONNER, THOMPSON, LOCKEY, GRIFFITHS, OBERMEIER, BLACKBURN, STEVENSON-MORALES, BROWN

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 12/16/2017 at 16:30:00

Joseph Stevenson, 71, of Decorah, lost his courageous battle with lung disease and Parkinson's (MSA) disease at home on November 30, 2017. A family memorial service was held on December 3 at La Rana. A Celebration of Life will be held next summer for Robert. Memorials may be sent to the Parkinson's Research Center or American Lung Association.

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on September 4, 1946. He grew up in Portage Lake, Maine and Simi Valley, California. After high school he enlisted in the US Navy and served in Viet Nam. His professions included police officer, auto mechanic, service manager, USDA inspector and auto inspector. Most recently he was the project manager of the Old Armory Building in Decorah, overseeing the remodeling and reconstruction. His many areas of expertise, including electrical, plumbing, auto repair and carpentry, were utilized countless times by family and friends. His interests included golf, bowling, model railroads, camping, fishing and watching football. Bob was an excellent marksman and taught his sons gun safety and pheasant hunting in Greene County, Iowa. He was known for his umpiring ability, volunteering countless hours for Boys Little League Baseball and Girls Little League Softball in Jefferson, Iowa. He officiated at the Regional Little League Baseball tournament in Joplin, MO and at the World Series Girls' Softball tournament in Portland, OR. Robert and JoAn (Simpson) were united in marriage at Trinity Lutheran Church in Jefferson, Iowa on May 6, 1989. They made their home in Jefferson, Waterloo and Decorah.

Robert is survived by his wife, JoAn, and son, Sean Stevenson; son Nicholas (Courtney) Rowley of Decorah; daughter Marie Rowley of Des Moines; son Anthony Rowley of Fayetteville, North Carolina; daughter Lisa Rowley of Minneapolis; son Dale, daughters Kelly and Kathy Stevenson of California; grandchildren Tristan (US Navy), Corban, Nicholas Jr., Evan, Elan, Finlay, Odan and Greta of Decorah and Coralin and Emma Rowley of Beverly Hills, CA; granddaughter Rachel Stevenson and grandson Jonathan of California; Avery and Liam McCleeary and Genevieve Flick of Des Moines; mother-in-law Lorene Conner of Jefferson; sister-in-laws Jean (Tom) Thompson of Postville, Jill (Richard) Lockey of Janesville, sister-in-law Jeri Griffiths of Des Moines and Judy (Mark) Obermeier of Edwardsville, IL and Carla Blackburn of Pueblo, CO; brother-in-laws Joel Simpson of Charleston, IL and Jaye Conner of Jefferson; niece Desiree Stevenson-Morales and nephew Derek Stevenson of Pueblo, CO and many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Helen (Brown) and father Clayton Stevenson and his younger brother, Donald Stevenson.

Source: Decorah Newspapers Dec. 15, 2017