Anne Margaret Stevens

Anne Margaret Castille Stevens, 85, of Lake Charles died at 11:56 PM on Saturday, September 3, 2016 in a local nursing facility surrounded by her loving family.  Anne was born on June 18, 1931 in Opelousas, LA to Lionel E. Castille and Frances Fleming Castille, the youngest of five children.  Anne graduated Cum Laude from the College of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, LA in 1952. After graduation she worked for the welfare department in Opelousas, LA as a visiting family social worker. 

Anne married the love of her life, the late Dr. Ewell L. Stevens on July 31, 1954 and moved with him to Lake Charles, LA to raise their six children.  Anne was very devoted to her family, loved to cook and sew, and provide a warm and loving environment for her husband and children.  Anne’s cooking was legendary.  On any given Sunday or holiday, her children never knew which random friends, relatives or priests would drop in for a taste of Anne’s delicious spread.  Anne loved nothing better than to have all her family around her table filled with food tirelessly and lovingly prepared.  Anne instilled in her children the importance of their Catholic faith, a good education, and hard work with a healthy balance of fun.  After a good meal it was not unusual to sit around the table to be entertained by her endless stream of Cajun jokes.  She and her husband Ewell belonged to the Merry Mates dance club, played golf and traveled extensively in their retirement years. Anne was active in the local Ladies Dental Auxiliary and the National Parkinson Foundation of Southwest Louisiana.             

In 1993 Dr. and Mrs. Stevens established a charitable trust to the St. Louis High School foundation in memory of their late son, Dr. John T. Stevens, a 1982 graduate.  Other benefactors of the trust are the Diocese of Lake Charles Spirituality Center, St. Margaret Catholic Church and St. Margaret School Foundation.             

Anne is currently a member of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church and enjoyed five happy years of retirement with her husband Ewell at Villa Maria Retirement Center. The family would like to extend their appreciation to the late Monsignor Irving DeBlanc for envisioning Villa Maria as a wonderful place of joy and faith to seniors in their golden years.              

Anne was preceded in death by her loving husband, Dr. Ewell L Stevens after 60 years of marriage, her son Dr. John T. Stevens, a granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Stevens Cagle, her parents Lionel E. Castille and Frances Fleming Castille and four brothers Lionel Edward, Ernest, David and James Castille.  

Left to cherish her memory are two daughters and their husbands Laura Stevens Howard and Charles of Austin, TX, Mary Stevens Miller and David of Lake Charles; three sons Ewell Louis Stevens, Jr. and Thelice Bell of Navarre Beach, FL, Gregory Mark Stevens and Andrew Edward Stevens, both of Lake Charles; three grandsons David Ryan Miller, John Paul Miller and Andrew Hutson Stevens; and one great granddaughter Lilly Jane Miller. 

A funeral mass will be held at 12 noon on Saturday September 10, 2016 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church. Monsignor Harry Greig will officiate.  Burial will follow in Consolata Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.  Visitation will begin on Friday September 9, 2016 from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being held at 6:30 PM.  Visitation will resume on Saturday in the funeral home from 9:00 AM until leaving for the church at 11:30 AM. 

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Gerry Hebert, Dr. Richard Gilmore, Dr. Ben Williams and to the staff of Brighton Bridge Hospice and Grand Cove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, where she was affectionately called Queen, for their exceptional care and compassion given to Anne during her last days.

Memorial donations may be made in Anne Stevens honor to the St. Charles Catholic Retreat Center, 2151 Sam Houston Jones Pkwy. Lake Charles LA 70611, https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=82c12f.