The Reverend David A. Stevens

Let us remember with thanksgiving the life and ministry of Rev. David Arthur Stevens, of Port Washington, NY, who died on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at Northwell Hospital in Manhasset, NY with his wife, Marilyn, at his side. 

Reverend David (Dave) Arthur Stevens was born March 1, 1936 in Fairmont, WV, the youngest of three sons of  Dr. Amos H. Stevens and Julia (Currier) Stevens. He was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and enjoyed singing in church and glee club. Orphaned at thirteen, he moved up north to live with relatives. He graduated from Cambridge High and Latin School in Cambridge, MA in 1954 and subsequently studied English and drama at Tufts University in Medford, MA.

David earned a master of divinity degree from Hartford Theological Seminary in CT in 1961 and a master of religious education and drama from Union Theological Seminary in NY in 1964. He was ordained an elder in the New York (East) Conference in 1962. Churches he served were: Wethersfield, CT; Fisherman’s in Brooklyn; Greene Ave. and Knickerbocker Ave in Brooklyn; First in Stamford, CT; Port Ewen and Esopus in NY; Port Ewen, Esopus and Rifton in NY; Seymour, CT; Bellmore, NY; and Glendale, NY. David retired in 2006.

During his years in Brooklyn he produced and directed several dramas and musicals at the New York Conference sessions. Funded by the “War on Poverty,” he formed a teenage drama repertory team of fifty Brooklyn teenagers who performed plays and musicals in churches. He also served as chairman of the Brooklyn Methodist Ministers Fellowship. During his time in Glendale he founded the Jubilee Cluster United Methodist Players, an ongoing musical repertory theater group of youth and adults for the area’s United Methodist churches.

David is survived by his wife, Marilyn L. Miller. They were married on January 28, 1989 at the Port Washington, NY United Methodist Church. David and Marilyn lived in Port Washington after their marriage. He is also survived by his son, Mark; daughter-in-law, Gina; and grandsons, Nicholas and spouse, Natasha, and Hunter Stevens and partner, Sarah Brady. He was predeceased by his brothers, George A. Stevens and Rev. Edward A. Stevens, and his nephew, Charles Stevens.  

Viewing was on Monday, July 31, 2017 at the Schwille Funeral Home, 6632 Myrtle Avenue, Glendale, NY 11385 from 2PM to 5PM and 7PM to 9PM with a wake service at 7:30 PM. A memorial service will be held at the Glendale Maspeth United Methodist Church, 66-14 Central Avenue, Glendale, NY 11385 at 10 AM on Sunday, August 13, 2017. David will be buried in his family plot in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Arlington, MA. Memorial donations can be sent to Glendale Maspeth United Methodist Church Memorial Fund at the church address.