Kenneth G Stevenson

Kenneth G. Stevenson passed away peacefully on January 10, 2025, in Granby, CO, to begin his next journey, reunited with his beloved wife, Marilyn Ann Stevenson and son, Jeffery K. Stevenson.

He is survived by his daughter, Karen E. Stevenson; one niece, Patricia A. Stevenson, her children and grandchildren; and one nephew, Kent Stevenson, his wife, Ruthann, and their children and grandchildren; and grand niece Heather Uphaus, and her daughter Dayle Uphaus.

Kenneth was born to William W. Stevenson and Elsie L. Stevenson on January 17, 1931, in Trenton, NJ. He was the youngest of four children. His closest brother, Bill, was seven years older. His sister, Katherine and oldest brother, Linford, were 9 and 10 years his senior.

He spent his childhood playing, hunting, fishing, and helping out on the dairy farm his father ran. It was a large dairy in Marlboro, NJ, that was owned by and supplied milk to the NJ State Psychiatric Hospital. Ken and friends went on many adventures, including spending time on the hospital grounds. Those led to some amusing stories he shared later in life.

Ken attended school in Freehold, NJ, where he excelled in mathematics and sports, particularly football. During the summers, he worked for his brothers at Bill's auto shop and Linford's produce farm. He and his friends enjoyed time at Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, and Point Pleasant beaches, where they fished, swam, and roasted their catch over beach bonfires.

He graduated from high school in 1949 and attended a college prep school for a couple of years before joining the Army in 1952. He became a corporal in the Signal Corps. After two years in the Army, he worked on Linford’s farm and operated his own produce stand along a busy road. He saved enough money to fund his move to Boulder, CO, where he had earned a football scholarship to play for the University of Colorado.

While at CU, he met and married Marilyn Steffensen. They later moved to Denver, where he completed his BA degree at the University of Denver while working at Sundstrand Corporation, a manufacturer of aerospace and industrial products.

While living in Denver, Ken and Marilyn made frequent trips to the mountains to hike, camp, and ski, especially in the Winter Park area. Around 1960, Ken was offered a teaching job in upstate New York, so they packed up and headed east. However, their car broke down in Illinois, leading them to settle temporarily in Elgin, Illinois, not far from Marilyn’s parents in nearby Kenosha, WI. They loaned him a car while he worked to purchase a new one.

Their daughter, Karen, was born in Elgin in 1962. In the spring of 1963, Ken and Marilyn decided to return to Colorado to seek teaching jobs in the mountains, particularly in the Granby/Winter Park area. They bought a home along the Colorado River north of Granby and taught in Granby, Fraser, and Grand Lake schools. Ken taught basic math and algebra, industrial arts: woodworking, welding, and photography, while Marilyn taught elementary school and later special education.

Their son, Jeffery, was born in August 1964 in Kremmling. Ken enjoyed taking Karen and Jeff to his construction worksites during the summer, as well as fishing, hunting, and camping. He loved teaching his children how to build things from wood and other materials, instilling in them a strong work ethic and a sense of pride in their craftsmanship.

In 1979, Ken left teaching to start a construction company with his friend and fellow teacher, Jim Boyd. Together, they built several homes in Grand County, employing their children and other locals. They also realized the dream of building their own family homes.

Ken was known for his kindness and generosity. He was always willing to help others with projects, and he had an exceptional ability to repair all types of engines from lawn mowers to ranch equipment. With his welding, mechanical, and carpentry skills, he could craft useful objects from discarded “junk”. He was referred to by some students as a “math magician”. He did not, for example, need a calculator to multiply or divide large numbers within seconds. Above all, he was a patient teacher who took pride in passing his skills and work ethic on to his children, students, and all those he mentored.

He will be profoundly missed by his family, friends, and all of those who had the privilege of knowing him.

There will be a Celebration of Life at the family home in June, details will be added to this site as they become confirmed.

In lieu of flowers or other donations, it would make Ken smile to know that you spent some quality time with an older, wiser person at his suggestion! :-)