John Owen Stevens

John (Jack) Stevens passed away at home in Valley, Nebraska on Friday, March 25th in the loving care of his wife Nadine. He was born on September 15, 1932 in Sloan Iowa to John Henry and Lily Stevens. When Jack was young he sometimes rode with his dad who delivered ice to people in Sloan. When he was a teenager his family moved to a farm in Whiting, Iowa where he attended high school and worked alongside his dad on the family farm. Jack often spoke about the struggles and sacrifices made by his parents to establish a family farm back in Iowa. These included living in a tent while coal mining in Colorado and traveling into Mexico to find work, and he was proud of this inheritance. After high school Jack enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed on several submarines during the Korean War. He met his wife Nadine in Valley, Nebraska and they married in 1958 at the Methodist Church in Waterloo, Nebraska. Jack and Nadine had one son, Dennis Owen. After moving to Valley, Jack made many contributions to the community. He volunteered on the Valley Fire and Rescue Squad, was a member of the park planning committee, belonged to the local VFW club, and honored many fellow veterans by participating as a member of the military honor guard. All his life Jack loved Ford cars and red tractors. He enjoyed outdoor sports including trap shooting, duck hunting, camping, boating, and fishing. He liked working on machinery and helping Dennis with his farming. In 1995, Jack retired from 3M in Valley, Nebraska. Jack made a point to spend as much time as possible with his family, most importantly, his granddaughters Erin and Jackie. Whether taking them boating, camping, fishing, or attending music or sporting events, they always knew granddad was proud of them and enjoyed watching their accomplishments. From tea parties to softball or volleyball games, Erin and Jackie could count on granddad to be there. In 2006, Jack was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During the last years of his life he spent as much time as possible at his lake home boating, fishing, and spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife Nadine, son Dennis, daughter-in-law Diane, and granddaughters Erin and Jackie. He is preceded in death by his parents John and Lily, his brother Roy, and his sister-in-law Evelyn Stevens. Flag Stevens, Jack age 78 of Valley, NE Survived by wife Nadine; son and daughter-in-law Dennis and Diane of Ames, NE; granddaughters Erin and Jackie; visitation Wednesday noon to 8 with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 PM at the Elkhorn funeral home. Funeral Thursday 10:30 AM at United Faith Community Church in Valley; Interment Valley Cemetery; Memorials to the Valley Fire Dept, VFW or Care-A-Van. Condolences to www.reichmuthfuneralhomes.com Reichmuth Funeral Home 21901 W. Maple Rd. 402-289-2222

John Owen Stevens

September 16, 1932 - March 25, 2011