Orvil James Stevens

“If you want sizzle, find yourself a redhead!”

Orvil “Red” Stevens Was born in 1926 in the Big Horn Valley of Montana, where the battle of Little Big Horn and “Custer’s Last Stand” took place

Red’s father was a rancher when he was young. As a young man Red enjoyed school sports and quail hunting with his only brother, Leslie. He lived in Montana until his 16th birthday and then moved to Oklahoma with his family. His brother was drafted into the army and Red followed a few years later, at age 19, to be trained as a combat MP. He had already been shipped out and was en-route to Tokyo when the Japanese surrender was announced on August 15, 1945 to bring WWII to an end. This thrilling news turned Red’s ship toward the Philippines instead, and he was stationed there until the end of his tour of duty.

When Red returned to the states, he worked for Ford Motor Co. in Oklahoma City. He enjoyed a career in sales for many years, working for Borden Milk, Cain Coffee and Standard Coffee. He met his sweetheart of 47 years, Juanita, while she was working in a drugstore café in Chickasha and he was making sales rounds. When they married Juanita already had three children who readily excepted Red into their family. The couple resided in Shreveport for 34 years. Red lost his close brother Leslie in 2005, and his wife Juanita sadly passed in 2010. However, Red was blessed to meet another wonderful woman named Bobbie Rhea while they were residents together at Horizon Bay in Bossier City. Bobbie Had three grown children that became like family. One of Bobbie’s son’s, Wayne, who lives in Chandler, Texas, moved Bobbie and Red to Athens in May 2015 so they could live closer to him. Bobbie Rhea passed in 2015. Along with his step-children, Red now has 10 step grand-children, 27 great-grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.