Shirley Stevens, 85, wife, mother, and Meemaw of Marble Hill, died Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Mercy Hospital Southeast in Cape Girardeau.
She was born March 12, 1939, in Bollinger County to Lewis A. and Zenobia V. Summers Hahn.
She and Gerald L. Stevens were married on Aug. 16, 1959, in De Soto.
She was a beloved member of the community with a passion for serving others. She worked with the Cape Girardeau chapter of the Girl Scouts for 29 years. Hers was a life of giving, and she spent much of her time as a volunteer in the community. She served both as a Girl Scout and as a member of her congregation with the United Methodist Church. Her devotion to her faith was evident in everything she did. She taught Adult Sunday School Class for years, and she often found time in her schedule to care for others, whether through providing meals to community members, sitting with friends and family during times of challenge and stress, or participating in extracurricular activities with the Scouts.
Shirley was a true renaissance woman who believed in the importance of developing and using all of her skills to help those around her. She cared about current events on both a local and global scale, dedicated significant time to supporting the arts, and became a business owner who learned to prepare taxes in her 70s. She was a sharp woman who believed in the lifelong pursuit of learning, who at 35 earned a bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State University in computer science.
She was a tremendous family member and friend who showed up for those who needed her and gave all of herself to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was one of a kind, and she will be sorely missed.
Survivors include a daughter, Susan (Billy) Coleman of Marble Hill; two granddaughters, Sirena (Clayton) Clark and Olivia Vantine; two grandsons, Steven (Ashley) Watkins and Zachariah (Jessica) Watkins; and two great-grandchildren, Leonidas and Kenji Watkins.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gerald L. Stevens; daughter, Lee Ann (Phil) Vantine; and brother, Lewis Edward Hahn.
Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Ford and Son Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.
The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, March 7, at the funeral home, with the Rev. Barry Winders officiating.
Burial will be at Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery following the funeral service.
Memorial contributions may be given to Compass Church in Cape Girardeau or Heifer International - https://www.heifer.org/give/donate-monthly.html
Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.
