Evert Edwin Stevens, 77, of Rosamond, Calif., died June 4 at his home after a two-year battle with esophageal cancer.
Memorial services will be held July 13 at Joshua Memorial Park & Mortuary in Lancaster, Calif.
Stevens, long known to the Grambling State family as “Coach Ed”, was born on Oct. 29, 1935 in Earlimart, Calif., to Millie and Valo Stevens. He was a multi-sport letterman at Delano High School and then pursued both sports at Fresno State College.
After receiving his college degree, Stevens went into teaching and coaching. His coaching path led him to Corcoran High School as head football coach in the mid-1960s.
There he worked with assistant coach Arthur Calloway, who facilitated a meeting with legendary GSU football coach Eddie Robinson. This meeting led to an 18-year coaching career for Stevens with the Tigers, where he was linebacker coach, film coach and weight training coach.
Stevens also established a women’s track team that quickly became nationally competitive, winning national championships.
In 1987, Stevens returned to his roots in California and taught and coached at the high school and junior college level, including Mojave High School and most recently at California City High School, where he helped lead the track teams to the school’s first league championships in any sport.
It came as no surprise to family and friends that Stevens continued to hold his illness at bay until after the end of this year’s track season.
Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Verone Stevens, who is a GSU graduate; son, Christopher Stevens of Pinon Hills, Calif.; daughter Brenda Stevens Ryan of Austin, Texas, her husband Michael and two sons, Daniel and Kevin; daughter Mindy Stevens Lewis of Austin, Texas, her husband Rick and four children, Andi, Sydney, Bryn and Tucker; and daughter Marianne Stevens Leclerc of Dallas, her husband Francois and daughter Cecile.