James W. "Jim" Stevenson Obituary (1929 - 2017)

James W. Jim Stevenson, 87, of Bloomington, passed away at 3:30 p.m. Friday, February 03, 2017 at his home. His funeral will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington. Military rites will be accorded by the Bloomington-Normal American Legion Honor Guard. Visitation will be 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Cremation rites will be accorded after services. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Stevenson family. He was born February 15, 1929 in Breckinridge County, Kentucky, a son of Charles and Mary Jane Armes Stevenson. He married Angela M. McGowan on August 30, 1986 in Peoria. Surviving are his wife, Angela Stevenson of Bloomington; four children, Jenny Villanueva of Havana, Jim Stevenson, Jr. of Armington, Russell Stevenson of San Diego, CA and Debbie Stevenson of Albuquerque, NM; three step-children, Timothy (Stacy) Stevenson, Stacy (Alfredo) Reyes and Tonia Stevenson, all of Bloomington; 20 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Also surviving are six siblings, Gladys McClellan of Ellsworth, Alice Davis of Cherry Tree, PA, Charles Stevenson of Caneyville, KY, Charlotte Ford of Falls of Rough, KY, Ruby Scott and Lawrence Stevenson, both of Litchfield, KY. He was preceded in death by infant twin siblings; four sisters and two brothers. Jim served in the U.S. Army from 1954-56 and retired as a switchman from the GMO Railroad in 1987 after thirty-three years of employment. He proudly fostered over twenty children and enjoyed fixing toys and playing Santa Claus for those in need. Jim enjoyed BINGO and fishing and in his younger years enjoyed racing stock cars.