William R. Stevenson, MD
Dr. William “Bill†Robert Stevenson, age 101, of Audubon, New Jersey, entered into the presence of his Savior on Sunday, October 29, 2023. Bill is survived by his wife Marilyn R. Stevenson of Audubon, NJ, his first wife Virginia having preceded him in death in 1966. God has blessed him to date with 10 children, 37 grandchildren, 76 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren.
Bill was born in West New York, New Jersey on May 10, 1922, to Walter and Jessie (Lauer) Stevenson, and spent his adolescent years in Southern New Jersey. He graduated from Collingswood High School, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Pennsylvania Medical School. Bill served as a Lieutenant with the United States Navy as a flight surgeon aboard the USS Boxer during the Korean Conflict. Following his military service, he was a General Practitioner in Haddon Heights, New Jersey for many years. Feeling led by the Lord into missions, Bill joined the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism. He left for the Philippine Islands in 1968 with his three youngest children to serve as a missionary doctor. In 1970 God gifted him with Marilyn (Irons) Tirrell as his wife with her four children who joined them in ministry overseas. Over the next 19 years, Dr. Bill, as he was called, ministered to both physical and spiritual needs. He used his medical skills at two hospitals on the islands of Mindanao and Leyte, and at remote medical clinics.
Bill offered himself in teaching, preaching, and mentoring to reach people spiritually. He was part of a team that ‘planted’ a church in Tacloban, Leyte. The underlying desire of all that he did was to earn the right to share the good news of Jesus Christ. After Bill and his wife retired from the overseas mission field, they settled in Audubon, New Jersey, where he continued to serve people spiritually. In addition to day-to-day interactions with people God brought across his path, he taught a Sunday School class at Haddon Heights Baptist church, and did hospital visitation.
More impressive than the span of his life was the depth and richness of it. He led the Stevenson family with love, humility, and significant humor. When interacting with him, you were always blessed by his warm personality, his wonderful smile, laughter, and hugs. His years filled with humble service to Christ and His people, travel and adventure, reading and learning, family and friendships have built a firm legacy of love and faith that is a foundation for others to build their faith. He has been a profound influence on his many children, grandchildren, and generations beyond. He will be missed by many, but we can rest in the knowledge that he is overjoyed to be with the Savior he loved and served faithfully for so many years.
There will be a viewing/visitation Thursday, November 2, 2023 4:00 to 5:30 at the Dubois Funeral Home, 700 South White Horse Pike, Audubon, NJ 08106. Graveside Service is at 10:45 am Friday, November 3, 2023, Harleigh Cemetery, 1640 Haddon Avenue, Camden, NJ 08103, Lakeside Lawn Crypt Section. Greetings at 1:00 pm will precede the memorial service at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 3, 2023, at the Haddon Heights Baptist Church, 300 Station Ave, Haddon Heights, NJ 08035.
In lieu of flowers, please direct gifts in memory of Dr. William R. Stevenson to the missions fund at Haddon Heights Baptist Church or in memory of Dr. William R. Stevenson to International Healthcare Ministries, Account #0710301 at The Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, (ABWE) P.O Box 8585, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Funeral arrangements under the direction of DuBois Funeral Home. Condolences and memories may be shared at DuboisFuneralHome.