Area Obituaries
William “Bill” Glen Stevenson, 75, of Glendale, Arizona, passed away Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at his residence. He was born November 26, 1947, in Vincennes, Indiana, the son of Sam and Betty (Faith) Stevenson. He graduated from LTHS in 1965 and the United Electronics Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1967. From there, the sky was truly the limit. Bill worked for Sperry, later Honeywell, designing computers and flight programs for various military avionics and flight control systems. He built avionics equipment for solid rocket boosters, computers for NASA space shuttles, and a computer for the Mir Space Station. He threw himself into his work and spent countless hours perfecting his programming to ensure things went off without a hitch. At no time was this more evident than February 2003 when the Columbia space shuttle tragedy occurred. While most Americans witnessed the horror of that day without any personal ties, to Bill and his colleagues, they watched a tragedy strike their own family. A month later, he retired from Honeywell after 37 years of service. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Betty; maternal grandparents, Clarence and Opal Faith Mickey; and paternal grandparents, Luther and Bonnie Stevenson. He is survived by one aunt, Louise Whittaker, of Palestine, Illinois; several cousins; and one special cousin, affectionately referred to as “the Brat.” Bill will be lovingly missed not only by his family, but also by his former colleagues, friends, and neighbors from “the cul-de-sac” in Glendale. Bill loved all things science and astronomy related, and he never missed an opportunity to study as much about any topic as he could. Trains and mystery books were favorites of his. Bill did nothing without purpose and had a reason for every move he made. No pot was too big to stir in his eyes. Bill never ran an errand without having a fantastical story to share when he got home. Every card that he sent came with a puzzle to be solved. Small things like these made Bill who he was, and he will be forever missed. Private graveside services will be conducted in the Lawrenceville City Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army. Emmons-Macey ; Steffey Funeral Home in Lawrenceville, Illinois, is in charge of the arrangements, with special thanks to Heritage Arrowhead Funeral Center in Glendale, Arizona. Please visit www.emmonsmaceysteffey.com to view the tribute and to send condolences.
