Jess Stevens Jr.

Jess Stevens Jr.  passed through his earthly life in Talihina due to a sudden illness, on March 13, 2017. Jess is now at a restful peace, awaiting the day of Resurrection. Yes, we will once again see Jess in the near future.
Jess was an active member of The Well Church in Stigler. He was also an avid reader and student of God’s Holy Word, the Bible. He was truly a Bible scholar and loved to discuss his knowledge of the Bible with anyone who was willing to discuss different beliefs, theories, their belief, his own personal view of the Bible and its meaning for mankind.
Jess was born on Sept. 12, 1962, and grew up in San Carlos, Ariz., Apache Reservation, which consists of 1.5 million acres. Jess was full-blood Apache Native American. He loved his country and was very proud of his heritage and family.
It has been said that he wanted to come to Oklahoma to meet his “Wanna-Be Brother,” Tom Chamberlain. He did, and they built a close wonderful relationship. He said all was great but he was not sure that Tom had enough Native American blood to be his full fledged “Bro,” but he loved him just the same.
Jess became known “as a man with a helping hand and heart.” If there was someone in need, he was there to take them to wherever they needed to go. There were many times when he had no more than $40 and would meet someone he thought was hungry, in need of help, and he would proceed to give them $20 for food. Jess was loved by many, many friends in the greater Stigler and Eufaula area. He never had an enemy in his newly adopted home of Stigler.
Jess was predeceased by his father, Jess Homer Stevens, Sr., and mother, Evelyn  R. Stevens approximately 12 years ago. He was also predeceased by a brother and sister. He grew up in a family of 10 siblings. His brother, Homer, is the eldest and Jess was second.
Jess is survived by his beloved brothers, Homer Stevens, Tim Stevens and Mark Stevens. He is also survived by his loving sisters, Jacquelyn Tutt, Gertrude Goode, Cynthia Stevens and Mary Kay Stevens. He has four wonderful children, Shalmarie Hopkins, Joseph Stevens, Jess H Stevens, III and Olaha Wheeler.
Jess moved into the Stigler area about four years ago and was employed by the Gregor Weems Cattle Ranch. He grew up in the ranching life in the Arizona Mountains and that was his favorite job. He loved the animals, and refused to use the shock prod. Instead, he liked to bring the cattle in by gently herding them to their destination.
It was during this time that he started working part-time for Sam and Sunnie Williams, an elderly couple, out on the lake. He fell in love with the area and seemed to like to work on the property.
It didn’t take too long for the Williams to recognize his all-around intellect and abilities. They found that not only had he been a jeweler designing and making beautiful jewelry to be sold on cruise ships, he could do plumbing and electrical work. He did beautiful landscaping on their property, worked on their boat docks, carried all Sunnie’s huge ferns as well as all other plants they had in their cellar-like storage area for winterizing plants. It is with great sadness that Jess will not be with us this spring.
Jess became homeless within the last six months he was in the area. He had managed to get an old 1994 Volvo, which he quickly named his “War Pony” to drive between the lake and Stigler, as well as his other travels. All we can say is his war pony became very cantankerous and would only get up and go as it wanted to.
Jess moved in with us and he truly became a member of our family. It made us happy to hear him say ‘’I’m on my way home.” As time passed by, we began to love him as our own son.
It is with a very heavy, saddened heart that I prepare his remembrance at this time. He was my first and only son.
Services were held March 18 at St. Charles Catholic Church in San Carlos, Ariz. Burial followed at Upper Periodt Cemetery.
Paid obituary submitted by Sunnie Williams