William 'Bill' Wilson Stevens Jr.

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Bill Stevens, 83, of Collinwood, Tenn., formerly of Galatia, passed away Sunday, June 13, 2010, at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tenn.

He was born March 7, 1927, in Saline County to the late Will and Cora Stevens. He lived most his life in Southern Illinois where he ran a family business buying and selling fur, ginseng and herbs for 25 years. He was a member of the Galatia Masonic Lodge, an honorable veteran of the United States Army and worked for BMW. He was a member of the Boilermakers Union. He was also an avid coon hunter. He also loved spending time with his family, especially his wife, son and grandchildren.

Bill and his wife retired to Wayne County, Tenn., in 1985.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Lovetta Fern (Mitchell) Stevens; two grandsons, Arnold Stevens Jr. (Molly Stevens) of Collinwood, Tenn. and Ramsey Stevens (Xavier Mendez-Stevens) of West Hollywood, Calif.; two great-grandchildren, Kaylee Nicole Stevens and Gary Zane Cole; two special grandchildren, Bryan Dale Williams and Dillon Thomas Estep; and two great-great-grandsons, Randy Price Stevens and Cody Levi Stevens Jr.

Bill is preceded in death by 12 brothers and sisters; one son, Arnold Mark Stevens Sr.; and one great-grandson, Cody Levi Stevens.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday June 17, 2010, at the Sloan Funeral Home in Galatia with visitation from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 16, 2010, at the funeral home. The Rev. Blake Bradley will officiate with burial in the Raleigh Masonic Cemetery.