Bobby Odell Stevens

Bob was born June 29, 1939, in Clinton, North Carolina, to Viola Blue and Claudie Stevens. He was the 13th of 15 children.
Bob began working as a very young child. His father was a sharecropper in Clinton, North Carolina, and all of the children began working as soon as they were strong enough to pick cotton, help plant the crops and work in the fields. Often, they could only attend school half days since they were needed to plant and harvest crops. The white children were able to ride the bus to school. The little school house for the black children was two miles away. Bob and his brothers and sisters walked the two miles to and from school.
The family worked very hard without much in the way of tools or equipment. Their plowing was done by a homemade plow and a team of mules. They planted everything by hand. Bob’s father was very inventive and was able to make many of the things he needed to get the job done.
The Stevens was a very spiritual family, attending the little country Baptist Church. Bob and other family members sang in the church choir. He talked of his childhood days with love. His parents were kind, loving, and generous. They definitely taught the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” which Bob practiced throughout his life. Claudie and Viola married at a young age, working their entire lives and always reaching out to others. There was always room at the Stevens home if someone was in need. They were honest and loved throughout the valley. Together, they raised 14 of their 15 children to adulthood. They were inseparable, working together throughout all their trials and tribulations.
When Bob was in his early teens he had the desire to venture out and do a little traveling by means of “hitch hiking.” He made his way to Florida and New York, finding jobs in the fields or stocking shelves in grocery stores. During the Civil Rights Movement in the 60’s he was employed at a Walgreen store in New York.
After discovering he wanted more from life, Bob made his way back home to Clinton, North Carolina to see the family. His next move was to Durham, North Carolina. He found work at a “gas station” where he was employed while learning how to live in the “big” city. This is where he met his friend, Ralph Riley and moved in with the family. He put in an application at Duke Medical Center and was hired as a steward. Starting at the bottom, his hard work, dedication, and love for all people, helped him earn his way into a management position as Material Control Supervisor. He took every opportunity to study and learn all he could from the professors and was given the opportunity to attend classes at Duke, and spent his spare time studying at the library.
After spending many years employed at Duke, he made a decision to travel to Salt Lake City. He sold his automobile, gathered together his belongings, purchased a bus ticket and arrived in Salt Lake in the spring of 1974. He found a small hotel, rented a room, bought a newspaper, and answered an ad at David Early Tires. He walked to David Early’s Tire Store at 800 West and North Temple, met with David Early, hired on the spot as Assistant Manager. It was not long until he became Manager of this location, where he stayed for a number of years, and to this day is still in touch with David Early and many people he hired as well as customers from way back then. He was totally engrossed in management and learning. This is where he gained his love and knowledge of the Tire World.
Bob met and married Kaye Blackburn in 1986 at the time he was opening his own service station in Salt Lake City. He had a clientele of people from far and near. When Bob was a young lad, his father told him: “Son, your name will go farther than you go in a life time.” This is indeed so. He has made friends from people all around the world. Bob is a very spiritual person, caring, loving, considerate, and generous. Wherever he goes, one will find laughter and fun and always Praises to the Lord.
For the past 21 years Bob has had his own business, Stevens Tire and Wheel, located at the Redwood Drive-In Theatre on Redwood Road, which is still being operated to this very day.
Bob passed away November 16, 2016. He is survived by his wife, Kaye Blackburn Stevens; Son, Christopher Stevens and wife, Jodi; and three children, Brendan, Zjanae, and Kiarra; a great grandson, Nile; Sisters – Louise Bowden and husband, Woodrow; Cora Boone, Magalene Stevens and brother, Robert Stevens (Doretha).
Funeral Services will be held, Monday, November 28, 2016 at 11:00 am at the University Ward, 160 South University Street (1350 East), SLC with a viewing beginning at 9 AM. Interment will be at Holladay Memorial Park, 4900 S Memory Lane. Memories may be shared at www.memorialutah.com
Service Information
Viewing November 28, 2016 at 9:00-10:45 AM
University Ward, 160 South University Street (1350 East), Salt Lake City, Utah





Funeral Service
at
University Ward, 160 South University Street (1350 East), Salt Lake City, Utah