Major John Lawrence Stevens III, USMC Ret., 73, passed away on Dec. 31, 2014 after a short illness. Born Jan. 24, 1941 in Newport News, Va., he was the son of John L. Stevens Jr. and Nettie Skelly Stevens.

John spent his childhood in the bustling Hilton Village area, attending Hilton Elementary School and spending many summer days playing and life guarding on Hilton Pier. He went on to graduate from Warwick High School in 1959.

Immediately following graduation, he joined the United States Marine Corps and participated in the “Platoon Leader Course.” This program essentially provided him an ROTC scholarship before entering Virginia Tech.

He graduated in 1964 with a degree in metallurgy and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He quickly found his niche with the Marines by earning his wings and flying the then new A‐6 all weather attack bomber.

Following three rigorous tours in Vietnam, John returned to the states and continued to serve. It was during this time that he met and married the late Anna Swann of Tryon, N.C. Their son John L. Stevens IV (Jay) was born in Nov. 1970.

Following retirement from the Marines in 1984, John remained in Northern Virginia for a number of years and enjoyed helping people as an excellent math and science tutor as well as enjoying the out of doors with fellow hunt club members in Fluvanna County, Virginia.

He later moved to Virginia Beach where he enjoyed life volunteering at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, became an election official and became an incredible and valuable proof reader for Ray Taylor, his sister Mary Jane’s husband, and his transportation writings.

For the past two years, John has been living with his son, Jay, in Maggie Valley, N.C. He and Jay thoroughly enjoyed these two years together and John was able to expand his love of nature learning about and observing the re‐introduced herd of elk in the Great Smoky Mountains.

John is survived by his son, Jay, of Maggie Valley, N.C.; a brother, Thomas Stevens of Williamsburg, Va.; and a sister, Mary Jane Stevens Taylor of Austin, Texas. He is predeceased by his wife Anna Swann Stevens, his brother James Stevens and his parents, John and Nettie Stevens.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 10 at Grace United Methodist Church, 1209 Country Club Road, Newport News. Memorials can be made to Wounded Warrior Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org