Mildred Stevens

Mrs. Willie Mildred Stevens, beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister, passed from this life into the presence of her Savior Saturday evening, Dec. 14, 2024. She was 104 years old.  

Mrs. Stevens was born on Feb. 15, 1920, in Forrest City, Arkansas, to the late Ruffin and Mary Brown. She had three brothers: Paul, Fred, and Mack Brown, and two sisters, Louise Brown Dearrington and Libby Brown Boswell. She met and married her husband, Edward Stevens, in Forrest City on Jan. 25, 1942. Together they had six children, losing one, a son, shortly after childbirth, before they moved to Tennessee in 1960. Following her husband's career as a plant manager for Sportswear, the family moved to Decatur County in 1961, which would be her home until her death.  

Mildred was an accomplished seamstress and was known far and wide for her abilities at the sewing machine. She made much of the clothing her children wore as they were growing up, and she sewed everything from prom dresses to quilts for her grandchildren. She sewed until her eyesight began to fail her in the late 1990s. Mildred was also a voracious reader and read everything she could get her hands on, again until her eyesight began to fail. She was a charter member of the Parsons Book Club and a faithful member until her health began to decline and she could no longer attend meetings. One of her most cherished gifts was the Kindle her grandchildren bought her for Christmas. She quickly discovered she could enlarge the font so she could see the words more clearly, and her grandkids couldn't put books on her Kindle fast enough. She was also an avid gardener. Her green thumb could make anything grow and bloom, and she spent many happy hours in the flower beds in her yard. Her flowers were the prettiest in the neighborhood and everyone who drove by was able to enjoy the beauty her hands brought from the earth. She grew her own vegetables, and her family reaped the benefits in the forms of jellies, relishes, and pickles.  Her husband and sons were hunters, and she cooked everything they brought home, no matter if it had fins, feathers, or feet. Her talented hands kept her large family fed and clothed, and her loving arms rocked many a grandchild to sleep. Mildred was born the year women won the right to vote, and she never, ever missed an opportunity to do so. She voted in every single election until she was no longer able. She didn't learn to drive until her husband's death in 1973, and then she traveled everywhere. She worked at Salant and Salant in Parsons until her retirement in the 1980s, and she continued to work throughout her 70s in her daughter and son-in-law's business. Upon the advent of social media, she created a Facebook page and kept up with the world through the internet until her eyesight completely failed her just recently. But above all, Mildred loved the Lord and lived to serve Him. She joined the Parsons First United Methodist Church in the early 1970s and remained a faithful member until her death. She knew and could recite many scriptures and often hummed hymns as she was soothing her grandchildren to sleep. She took her strength from God and served him every day of her life, and her faith in God helped her transverse famines, wars, personal tragedy, and loss. Throughout it all, she remained a faithful Christian lady, never wavering from her love of the Lord.  All who were blessed to know her were made better by her quiet witness and her devotion to Jesus Christ.  

Mildred was preceded in death by her husband of 31 years, Edward Stevens; one infant child; one daughter, Phyllis Townsend; one son, Kenny Stevens; her parents Mary and Ruffin Brown; her brothers Paul, Fred, and Mack Brown; one sister, Louise Dearrington; and one grandchild, Jeanna Spence Kelley. 

She leaves to cherish her memory one sister, Libby Boswell of Little Rock, AR; two sons, Thomas (Suzanne) Stevens of Decaturville, Tenn. and Robert (Linda) Stevens of Eureka, MO; one daughter, Kathy (Philip) Spence of Holladay, Tenn.; and daughter-in-law, Chandra Stevens of Decaturville, Tenn. 

She is survived by her grandchildren, Lisa (Ronnie) McGehee and Cindy Glover of Star City, Arkansas; Sherry Glover Brooks of Hohenwald, Tenn.; Bryan Stevens of Shelbyville, Tenn.; Keith (Dana) Stevens of Martin, Tenn.; Scott Miller of Camden, Tenn.; Brad Dawson of Decaturville, Tenn.; Kim Stevens Wickman of Eureka, MO; Rebecca Stevens of Valley Park, MO; Beth (Kelly) Deere of Parsons; Susan (Heath) Taylor of Loganville, GA; Wayne (Jennifer) Stevens of Henderson, Tenn.; and Misty (Michael) Brasher of Medina, Tenn. She had 19 great-grandchildren:  Jeremy (Allie) McGehee, Breanna (Kevin) Chambliss, Maegan (Brandon) Brewer, Sarah (Wyatt) Parker, Jacob Glover, Michael McCullom, Tucker Stevens, Shelby Stevens, Emma Wickman, Nathan Wickman, Hannah (Max) Mullen, Grace Taylor, Jessica (John) Eaton, Brady Kelley, Chase Brasher, Chloe Brasher, John (Raeleigh) Stevens, Carter Stevens, Katelyn (Jordan) Phelps, Kacie Pratt, and Barrett Jones. She also had nine great-great grandchildren: Serenity and Saleen Chambliss, Hunter and Kylee Brewer, Henry and Blayze Eaton and their unborn baby brother Solomon, Caden Faulkner and Finley Phelps. She also leaves behind many cousins, nieces and nephews, all of whom have fond memories of "Aunt Mildred."  

The family will receive visitors at Parsons Mortuary on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, from 1 p.m. - 9 p.m., and then again at Parsons First Methodist Church from 9 a.m. until the service at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. Burial will take place in Forrest Park Cemetery in Forrest City, AR.

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