Ruth Marie Stevens

Ruth Marie “Dutch” (Thomas) Stevens was born January 8th, 1919, in Laclede, Idaho, to H. F. “Stub” and Clarinda (Westover) Thomas. She loved Laclede and lived there until her failing health forced her to move into the Life Care Center in Sandpoint, Idaho, where she passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 19th, 2012, at the age of 93. Dutch married Lloyd D. Stevens of Laclede in 1936. Lloyd was also born in Laclede, and the two made their home there and raised two children: Gayle J. (Stevens) Leen and David L. Stevens. Both children also made Laclede their home. Dutch was a very hard-working woman her entire life. She picked in the orchards in Wenatchee, WA; worked in the canneries in Dayton, WA; fished commercially on Lake Pend Oreille; ran service stations in Sandpoint, ID; picked huckleberries all over northern Idaho – whatever was necessary to help make ends meet. She loved fishing and hunting, and seldom missed what she shot at. She always grew a large vegetable garden that she shared with family and friends, and she maintained numerous flowerbeds. On top of all that, Dutch was also the assistant postmaster in Laclede for her father before becoming the postmaster herself in 1963 – a position she held until retiring in 1985. She lost her husband, Lloyd, to cancer in 1977. After many years alone, a very dear lifelong family friend, Gordon McNew, reentered her life in 1989 after losing his wife to Alzheimer’s. They enjoyed going hunting, fishing, camping, and especially picking huckleberries together. They decided to marry in 1991, and enjoyed their time together until his passing in 1999. Dutch was a devout member of the Laclede Community Church and enjoyed taking part in its many functions, especially listening to music and singing at the jamborees. Dutch was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Marjorie (Thomas) Glazier; her sister, Bonnie (Thomas) (Rainy) Burns; her sister, Dolly (Thomas) Kurtz; her brother, H.L. “Sonny” Thomas; her daughter, Gayle (Stevens) Leen; her granddaughter, Carry (Leen) Pound; and two infant great-granddaughters, Autumn Rawley and Amber Pound. She is survived by her son, David Stevens of Laclede (and his wife, Jaci); her son-in-law, Lyle Leen of Laclede; her grandson, Wayne Leen of Elmira, ID; her granddaughter, Brenda Rawley of Priest River, ID (and her husband, Kelly); her grandson, David Stevens of Sandpoint, ID (and his wife Laurie); her granddaughter, Lori Stevens of Soldotna, Alaska; 18 great grandchildren; 20 great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Dutch was a beautiful and intelligent woman, but down deep she was her “Daddy’s Little Tomboy”. She worshiped the ground he walked on, and as a child followed him everywhere. She learned how to do just about everything around the farm they lived on, especially gardening. Her father had a hired hand from Holland, and he was so impressed with how hard she worked and how she never seemed to tire that he called her his little Dutchman; hence the nickname “Dutch” (or “Dutchie”, as she was called by most of her many nieces and nephews). The following poem is one of many she composed over the years, and was inspired by a dream she had shortly after her father’s death, of walking with him in heaven. She is undoubtedly with him there now, just in time to help him plant the garden: God’s Flowerbed As I’m in my flower bed, pulling out weeds And making more room, for planting more seeds I feel His presence from above I feel His power, I feel His love And a dream comes to mind, from some time ago When I walked with my Daddy, in the twilights glow Through God’s flowerbed, where I knew he would be For his love of flowers, was passed on to me With my hand in his, we lingered awhile Then Daddy looked down and said with a smile You must return now, to loved ones below I wait for you here, but before you go I want you to notice, he tenderly said There are no weeds, in God’s flowerbed By Ruth Marie “DUTCH” Stevens – 1972 Funeral services will be held at the Laclede Community Church at 11:00AM on Saturday, the 9th of June 2012. Interment will be at Seneacquoteen Cemetery immediately after the service. A potluck dinner will follow back at the Church. Memorials may be made to a charity of your choice, in memory of Dutch Stevens.