LEE STEVENS obituary

BOZEMAN Lee Stevens, 64, of Belgrade and formerly of Havre, died recently due to cancer.

His funeral service will be held at 2 p. m. Friday at Christ the King Lutheran Church at 4383 Durston Road in Bozeman. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Lee was born May 22, 1942, in Havre to his adopted-at-birth parents, Guy and Garnet Stevens. Lee graduated from high school in Havre and completed several years of college education. Lee was baptized and was an active member of First Lutheran Church while growing up in Havre. He was involved in the Scout troop sponsored by First Lutheran. Lee ultimately received the highest award in scouting Eagle Scout. He also received numerous other Scouting awards while in Havre. Through Scouting, Lee also performed many service projects in the church, such as translating First Lutheran's history records from Norwegian to English with the help of his grandmother. Lee also sang in the First Lutheran Church choir. He was initiated into Havre Masonic Lodge No. 55 AF&AM on Dec. 5, 1963, and raised to the sublime degree of a master Mason on Feb. 6, 1964. He was a past master of Belgrade Lodge No. 68. Lee entered the Montana National Guard in Havre to satisfy his service requirement and to help with his college expenses. He was honorably discharged from service in later years while on the West Coast. Lee left the Havre area in the early 1960s and moved to the West Coast, where he started on a career in banking and later in credit collections. Lee married Betty in Tacoma, Wash., on June 3, 1967. Lee became a member of the Tacoma (Wash.) Scottish Rite Bodies and the Shrine AFIFI Temple in Tacoma in 1975. He later transferred membership to the Livingston Scottish Rite, the Shrine Algeria Temple in Helena and the Gallatin Shrine Club in Belgrade. Lee worked in the states of Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho until 1979. In 1979, wanting to raise their children in an area not handing out drugs on the streets, they returned to Montana and purchased the Red Baron Drive-In. During his years in Belgrade, Lee was very involved in the life of the community. He held many positions in the Lion's Club, including president, and numerous other positions in the Belgrade Scouting program, Belgrade Masonic Lodge No. 68, Belgrade Booster Club, Belgrade High School Advisory Committee, Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, and was mayor of Belgrade from 1980 to 1993. He served as the sole or joint parade marshal of the Belgrade Fall Festival Parade three times. Lee was a charter member of Peace Lutheran Church in Belgrade, where his wife and sons continue as charter members. Lee was preceded in death by his adoptive parents, Guy and Garnet Stevens. Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Betty; sons Darrin (Cindy) and Jason (Sarah); and two grandchildren. Memorials in Lee Stevens' name can be made to Peace Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 238, Belgrade, MT 59714 or to The Shriner's Hospital for Children, 911 W. Fifth Ave., Spokane, WA 92204-2901.