Mr. James Thomas Stevens, Jr., age 78 of Bolivar, Tennessee, passed from this life Wednesday morning, April 2, 2014 at Bapitst Hospital in Memphis.
Mr. Stevens was born in Pine Top, Tennessee July 18, 1935 to the late James Thomas, Sr. and Thelma Grantham Barrett Stevens. On April 7, 1966, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Jane Satterfield Stevens, who survives. He served for four years on active duty with the United States Navy and continued to serve in the US Navy Reserves for another 20 years, retiring as a CMDR USNR.
He lived all of his life in Bolivar and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Bolivar. He was instrumental in organizing the Hardeman County Chapter of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities and was involved in restoring the Little Court House and starting the Pillars museum. He also served on the Historic Zoning Board.
Mr. Stevens was an artist, architect and historian with unique designing talents. Since 1962, he owned and operated Barrett & Stevens in Bolivar, and specialized in furniture and interior design.
Along with his wife of nearly 48 years, he leaves as his survivors a daughter, Priscilla Stevens Farris of Palm Harbor, Florida; two brothers, Bobby Stevens of Kingsport, Tennessee, and Barrett Stevens, Sr. of Bolivar, Tennessee; and one grandson, Mitch Farris of Palm Harbor, Florida.
Donations made in memory of Mr. Stevens may be sent to either the First United Methodist Church in Bolivar, or to the Hardeman County APTA, P. O. Box 148, Bolivar, TN 38008.
