William Harris Stevens III
Councilman, Banker, Sports Official

Bill Stevens, a thirty-four-year resident of Doylestown, PA, passed away on December 30, 2012 as the result of a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 70.

Born and reared in the Germantown and Chestnut Hill sections of Philadelphia, he was the son of the late W. Harris Stevens, Jr., and Ruth Longstreet Stevens. He is survived by his beloved wife and life partner of forty-seven years, Jean Louise Haack Stevens, daughters Julia Longstreet Davis (John) and Jessica Joan Darling (Timothy), and son Timothy Harris Stevens (Tara). He is also survived by sisters Julia Longstreet Stevens Stone of Mystic, CT, and Dr. Deborah Blair Stevens of Bethlehem, PA, as well as five beautiful grandchildren- Sage Thomas and Faith Violet Stevens, Catherine Longstreet and Grace Louise Davis, and Samantha Jean Darling — as well as ten nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a niece, Deborah Blair Bux.

Aside from his duties as a fifteen-year Councilman for the Borough of Doylestown (1990-2001 and 2010-2011), Bill is best remembered as an active sports official, instructor, and administrator for collegiate and other amateur levels of volleyball, softball, and baseball.

A 1965 graduate of Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener University), Bill entered the U.S. Army’s Military Police Corps, serving in Georgia, Washington, and the Ryukyu Islands during the Vietnam conflict, eventually attaining the rank of Captain. He was a member of Doylestown’s American Legion (Albert Atkinson) Post #210, as well as the Guardians of the National Cemetery.

Following military service and a two-year stint in a family elevator business, he entered the world of commercial banking, where he worked for various financial institutions until his decision in 2006 to work as a sports officials’ coordinator on a full time basis. Until the time of his death, he worked tirelessly for the Atlantic 10 Conference, Patriot League, Ivy League, East Coast Volleyball, and several other organizations. He served the Keystone Region of USA Volleyball as its Chairman of Officials for more then twenty years. His personal volleyball officiating career included two National Referee ratings and countless collegiate conference and NCAA championship matches. USA Volleyball bestowed upon him the prestigious Leader in Volleyball and Glen Davies Referee Service awards.

A die-hard Phillies fan — and baseball in general — Bill umpired approximately two thousand collegiate, high school, youth, and adult baseball games, and served as President of the Lower Montco and Bux Mont American Legion Leagues since the 1970s.

Softball was also a passion. “Lawnchair” Stevens played in numerous modified-pitch leagues, culminating in the Doylestown over 35 League, for which he was its Commissioner until his passing. He also enjoyed immensely the camaraderie and downright fun of the Montgomery County Senior Softball League.

Bill was a life-long jazz enthusiast, having played piano in several bands back in college days.

Relatives and friends are invited to call from 9:30am until his Funeral Service 11:00AM on Monday, January 7, 2013 at Doylestown Presbyterian Church, 127 East Court Street Doylestown, PA 18901.

Interment will take place at the Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, at 1:00PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2004 Sproul Rd. Suite 108 Broomall, PA 19008 (www.cff.org) or Abington Hospice at Warminster, 225 Newtown Rd., Warminster, PA 18974.