Heaven witnessed a miracle on Monday afternoon, April 15, 2024 when reigning crypto-quip and crossword puzzles master Leanor Stevens answered God’s call and strolled into His Kingdom without the aid of a cane or a walker. Her grandchildren knew her as Leanie.
Born Leanor Ann Smith on August 8, 1932, she was welcomed home by our Savior and countless friends and family who have gone on before. She was the daughter of Herb and Eva Looney Smith of Milton, WV.
Leanor was preceded in death by her son, Doug “Ox” Stevens and brother and sister-in law Frank and Pauline Smith. She is survived by her brother Kermit Smith (Dorothy) and loving husband of 73 years, Jeffery Kent Stevens and daughters Faith Johnson (Steve) and Hope Stevens. She has four grandchildren, Ara Stevens (Christa), Adam Johnson (Katina), Adria Yost (Brad) and Evan Johnson, along with 10 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews that she loved very much. Her greatest joy was knowing each and every one of us have made a profession of faith through Jesus Christ our Lord. Crowned Miss Greyhound at Milton High School in 1950 she predicted in a class essay that she would marry and have twins. In 1951 she married her childhood sweetheart, Kent. He literally was the “boy next door” and they made a beautiful home in Milton.
Leanor was the epitome of the classic “stay-at-home mom”. Reports of classmates are still coming in claiming she was the MVP of Homeroom mothers. She was a devoted Sunday School teacher and VBS organizer for years. She loved to cook and bake and handmade all of our twinsey clothes and somehow kept us in style. She taught us how to iron pillowcases and our dad’s undershirts.
After starting her family she didn’t work outside the home but chose to demonstrate a beautiful picture of God’s design for a Christian family.
Faithful and loyal she never forgot a name. She remembered every detail of her and dad’s time living in San Francisco in the early 50’s and the many adventures to the South West to collect Native American art.
If asked, she could remember every person she and dad went to school with along with their parents, who they married, where they lived, their children’s names, their cousins and probably even who they married. We won’t be able to watch Judge Judy or Deal or No Deal without thinking of her. We won’t be having coffee and a sweet in the afternoon while watching an old TCM movie without missing her.
We will never forget her love, commitment and sacrifice to our family.
She followed Christ faithfully and would want you to do the same. (John 3:16). Her random acts of kindness and generosity were only a part of the Life she lived for Christ.
Services will be held at Wallace Funeral Home in Milton. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. on Saturday April 20, 2024. Burial will be in White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Barboursville.
Instead of flowers you might remember the wonderful organization Hospice of Huntington.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/wallace.
