Jean Stevens

Lois Jean Clark Stevens, 92, of Taylor, Texas, went to be with her Heavenly Father on Friday, November 26, 2021.

Jean was born on October 27, 1929, in Lincoln, Kansas, to William Clarence and Myrtle Aileen Clark (neé Dwyer) who nurtured her relentlessly joyous attitude, extraordinary kindness and love of the piano. She grew up with her sister Beth in western Kansas and graduated from Trego County High School in WaKeeney, Kansas, in 1947, giving the commencement address. Judges awarded Jean the top rating for her dramatic reading that same year at Kansas’ annual state-wide competition (similar to Texas’ University Interscholastic League, or “UIL”).

She attended Texas State College for Women – which later became Texas Woman’s University – and in 1951 earned a B.S. in Music Education. Jean taught music at Travis Elementary School for three years in Bryan, Texas, where she first met her future mother-in-law. She was introduced to Leland Moore Stevens at a Texas A&M Aggie yell practice. The two married on August 29, 1953, at Presbyterian Church in WaKeeney. To this marriage came four children: Beth, Bill, Jeanette and Lee. Jean was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and homemaker and enjoyed membership and friendships in the PEO Sisterhood, Women’s Study Club, Bible studies and many other clubs. She served as president of some of these groups. In her own words from a 2002 résumé, Jean’s interests were “swimming, water skiing, tennis, decorating and entertaining in home, visiting art and historical museums, family and friends and music, music, music.”

Jean’s love of music manifested itself as a vocalist in the Houston Chorale (1954 to 1955), children’s choir director at four churches, private piano teacher (in Taylor, Houston, San Antonio and Sulphur, Louisiana, from 1972 to 2018), piano accompanist for The Classics, school choirs and hundreds of high school vocalists and instrumentalists competing in UIL music competitions. She was the pianist for Taylor Lion Club First United Methodist Church in Taylor for 24 years where she encouraged many hundreds of worshipers to praise her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the 1970s she studied under Amanda Vick Lethco including performances of Ernesto Lecuona’s Malagueña and Claude Debussey’s Clair de Lune from memory.

Jean is preceded in death by her loving parents, sister Beth Galloway and parents-in-law, Wesley and Leila Stevens (neé Moore).

She is survived by her beloved husband of 68 years, Leland; children, Beth Ann Stevens Locke, of New Mexico, William Wesley Stevens, Jeanette Stevens Zey and her husband, Richard Bennett Zey, Leland Clark Stevens and his wife, Diana Reynolds Stevens, all of Texas; grandchildren, Leila Aileen Locke, Sarah Beth Locke Castor and her husband, Aaron Lynn Castor, Airth Rebecca Locke McCourt and her husband, Michael Cole McCourt, Leland Robert Locke and his wife, Veronica Castillo, Kathryn Jean Hylander and her husband, Spencer Allen Hylander, Justus Clark Stevens and Colton Reynolds Stevens; great-grandchildren, Michael Craig Davis, William Lynn Castor, Leland Wayne Castor, Benjamin Clark Castor, Lynex Orion Locke, Leland Robert Locke, Jr., Charli Jean Locke, Kinsley Jean Hylander, Kase Allan Hylander and Duke Bennett Hylander; brother-in-law Wesley McClelland Stevens with his wife, Virginia Winter Stevens, of Winnipeg; and a number of beloved cousins, other family and friends.

For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church of Taylor, Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville, Texas, or your favorite charitable organization.

• Memorial service will be livestreamed and accessible via Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/taylorprovidence

A reception will be held afterward at the fellowship hall of First United Methodist Church, 907 West Lake Drive.