House Resolution 23

A RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MR. NORMAN GOETZMANN STEVENS, JR., AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS PASSING.

WHEREAS, it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, on April 24, 2022, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved, Mr. Norman Goetzmann Stevens, Jr., of Mount Olive, Mississippi, to eternal rest, rendering great sorrow and loss to his family, friends and community; and

WHEREAS, born on June 11, 1931, in Picayune, Mississippi, to Mr. Norman Goetzmann Stevens, Sr., and Mrs. Fern Anderson Stevens, loving parents who laid a fine foundation for a remarkable life, Mr. Stevens grew up in Picayune and spoke fondly of his days there as a child, including riding with the engineer in the Crosby steam engine as it carried logs between the mill and the mill pond, untold hours at the YMCA, where he was when news of Pearl Harbor came, and fishing on the Hobolochitto with his dad; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Stevens became a gifted athlete at Picayune High School in multiple sports, leading the football team to a state championship in 1948, and because of his outstanding athleticism, he was a highly recruited quarterback, and like his father before him, who was Louisiana State University's last four sport letterman, he became a Bengal Tiger, one of the few father-son combos in LSU football history, and while there, he played the seasons of 1950 through 1953, and was named the MVP his senior season; and

WHEREAS, while at LSU, Mr. Stevens met his beloved future bride, Ms. Martha Sue "Mossy" Blain, a cheerleader who rode atop the tiger cage into Tiger Stadium for each home game, and they married December 20, 1952; and

WHEREAS, upon graduation, Mr. Stevens took a position with a Picayune bank, but soon received a draft notice, and the United States Air Force assigned him to Keesler Air Force Base, where the base commander wanted him to coach and play for the base football team, and while there, he was promoted to First Lieutenant and was ultimately, as a 24-year-old, in command of over 600 men training as radar operators; and

WHEREAS, after his time in the Air Force, Mr. Stevens joined his father-in-law's company, Blain Construction Company of Mount Olive, Mississippi, and helped build an outstanding company that endured well into a third generation; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Stevens had a decades long career in the highway construction and materials business and was a part of building many of the major highways and interstates across Mississippi and bordering states; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Stevens was well respected by his peers, known for his honest dealings and forward-thinking practices, and served in leadership positions on many industry boards on a state and national basis, as well as numerous local civic and philanthropic boards; and

WHEREAS, in one of the defining moments of his life, as a young father of three children, Mr. Stevens suddenly lost his beloved Martha Sue in 1965, but by the grace of God, he weathered this heartache, and married the second love of his life, Ms. Elizabeth "Beth" Wagner, on January 11, 1969, thereby becoming father to two more beloved children, and there has never been a more complete melding of two families into one; and

WHEREAS, in a second defining moment, Beth was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer in August 2000, and Mr. Stevens immediately retired from his work and devoted the next ten years to walking side-by-side with her through a long and arduous chemotherapy journey, and they were married for 42 years, and he loved her fiercely till the end; and

WHEREAS, dedicated to his faith, Mr. Stevens was a devout follower of Jesus, and for decades, he daily rose before the sun to extensively study his Bible and pray, leaving behind volumes of daily study notes and, more importantly, leaving an example of loving and living in harmony with his fellowman; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Stevens served as presiding elder for Mount Olive Presbyterian Church and dearly loved his church family and pastors, and his legacy of faith is plainly revealed by the faith of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and by the steadfast way in which he lived his life in moments of testing; and

WHEREAS, though he has traversed the river of life to reunite with those who answered God's summons to life eternal and now beckon his arrival to the celestial shores of Heaven's grandeur, such as his two wonderful and loving wives, who he often said he longed to join in Heaven, as he will be laid to rest between them,

the legacy of Mr. Stevens' indelible imprint upon our lives will continue to refresh the hearts and fond memories of his loved ones, including his sister, Suzanne "Suzie" Stevens Redd; daughter, Susan Stevens Shuler and husband, Conrad; son, Norman Goetzmann Stevens, III, and wife, Joy; daughter, Martha Stevens McIntosh and husband, Mark; daughter and faithful caregiver, Kevin Stevens Lowrey, along with husband and primary caregiver, Perrin; son, Robert Lee Stevens and wife, Eva; grandchildren, Conrad, Stevens, Annie Kate, Sarah, Jenny, Will, John Mark, Mamie, Lizzie, John Madison, Justice, Brittny, Erin, Emelie, Jed, Ben and Sam; 21 great-grandchildren (including two in utero); and a host of nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and dear friends; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Stevens will forever be loved, cherished and missed by all who knew him, and since it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:8, that to be "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord," his family and friends can find peace and comfort during this difficult time; and

WHEREAS, a genuine man of exceptional character, Mr. Stevens' outstanding legacy will continue for generations to come, and precious memories of time spent with him will hopefully continue to provide warmth, peace and comfort to his loved ones; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and honor the lives of great Mississippians, especially those such as Mr. Stevens, a man whose life's light illuminated the path of hope for all he encountered along this earthly sojourn:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby mourn the loss and honor the life and legacy of Mr. Norman Goetzmann Stevens, Jr., and express deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Mr. Norman Goetzmann Stevens, Jr., and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.