David W. Stevens Obituary
David Stevens Obituary
Robert David “Dave” Stevens, 74, of New London, died Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House, West Burlington.
Dave was born on November 25, 1947, in Mt. Pleasant. He was the son of Robert Horace and Mary Elizabeth Eckey Stevens. On November 15, 1975, he married Karen Stuekerjuergen at West Point. He graduated in 1966 from Winfield/Mt. Union High School: I studied electronics at SCC in 1968 and graduated from Western Iowa Technical School in Sioux City.
He served in the Navy aboard the USS Rowan from 1969 to 1971 during the Vietnam War. He was a co-owner of Dave and Chuck’s Refrigeration and then moved back to the family farm in Mt Union. He worked at Goodyear Hose and Rubber in Mt. Pleasant until he suffered a cerebral haemorrhage on June 1, 1988.
Despite his paralysis and wheelchair, he helped raise his daughters and watched his grandchildren grow up. His grandchildren were his pride and joy. He also enjoyed reading, doing crossword puzzles, playing candy and cookies, watching birds, and smoking cigars. He was a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge of Good Faith No. 235.
He is survived by his wife, Karen; two daughters, Barbara (Chris Forst) Puffinbarger of Knoxville and Angie (Glen) Woodsmall of Wapello; four grandchildren, Dalton Puffinbarger, Daymon, Devon and Colton Woodsmall; a sister, Beth (Don) Briggs, Winfield; two brothers, Paul (Sheila) Stevens, Pace, FL, and Mark (Dawn) Stevens, New Market, AL; sister-in-law, Mary Stevens, Denver, Iowa; aunt, Wilhelmina Terry of Connecticut; many nieces, nephews and cousins. His parents, brothers Tom and Michael, predeceased him in infancy.
According to published reports, David Stevens, a mortgage industry figure who held various jobs throughout his career, died on Jan. 16 at 66. A statement from the Mortgage Bankers Association, the trade group he led for seven years, said Stevens’ death was unexpected.
However, it was known that he had been battling cancer for several years, but when he announced that he was suspending his MBA studies in August 2018, he added that he was in remission. Stevens was instrumental in rebuilding the once troubled organization, noted his successor Bob Broeksmit.
Broeksmit fondly shared, “Dave’s legacy at the MBA will endure as that of a remarkable mentor, manager, and friend. He had a quick wit and often lightened the mood with his self-deprecating humour. His genuine concern for his colleagues and team members set him apart, leaving a positive and lasting impact on everyone he encountered.”
Dave and his wife, Mary, have been instrumental in founding the MBA Opens Doors Foundation in 2011. This incredible foundation has positively impacted over 16,000 families with seriously ill or injured children, allowing them to stay at home while their children receive the necessary treatment. Their dedication and compassion have made a significant difference in the lives of so many families.
In July 1998, he joined Freddie Mac as Senior Vice President of Single Family. Steven’s next stop was Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, where he served as Executive Vice President and National Wholesale Manager for over a year.
Stevens joined World Savings and Loan in 1983 in financial services, where he worked for 15 years and was responsible for all mortgage operations.
Long & Foster Companies then hired Stevens as managing director of subsidiaries before promoting him to the company’s president and chief operating officer. The Obama administration subsequently appointed Stevens as Federal Housing Commissioner, a position he held from July 2009 to March 2011.
Stevens recently chaired Mountain Lake Consulting and spoke on many industry topics, including the merger of ICE Mortgage Technology and Black Knight.
In May of this year, Stevens became president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association. About a year later, in May 2012, he resigned to take the job in SunTrust’s mortgage division, but the organization kept him on until he retired.
“It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of Dave Stevens,” said Scott Olson, CEO of Community Home Lenders of America. He was a significant force in the mortgage industry, and his leadership, vision and insight helped shape the current landscape. Our condolences go to his wife Maria and their children.”
Tributes to Stevens were also posted on social media platforms, including LinkedIn.
“His federal connections were important because he was an FHA commissioner,” Levy enthusiastically highlighted, stating that his extensive experience in the industry and at Freddie Mac has uniquely enriched and greatly benefited the entire industry. Dave was a wonderful man who represented our industry with humility and understanding, and we will miss him dearly.”
E. Robert Levy, executive director of the Mortgage Bankers Association of New Jersey, stated that Stevens is a regular speaker at events such as the MBA’s annual regional conference and will deliver the keynote address at a meeting in June.
“He had endless energy to fight the battles that needed to be fought to ensure the industry could safely serve qualified low- and moderate-income and first-time homebuyers,” Broeksmit emphasized, “He was a visionary maverick, taking on the industry’s most formidable challenges as a solitary thinker.”
Broeksmit summed up Stevens’ commitment to providing housing for more Americans.
Funeral services will occur on Saturday, December 11th, at 10:00 a.m. at Mt. Union United Methodist Church. The Reverend Nancy Sutherland will officiate the service. Interment with military rites by the Henry County Honor Guard will be held at Trinity Cemetery in rural Mt. Union. Visitation will begin at noon on Friday, December 10, at Elliott Chapel. You’re invited to join us in welcoming friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Your presence will mean a lot to the family. Masonic rites will be held at 7 p.m.
Memorials have been made to New London Fire and Rescue, Masonic Good Faith Lodge No. 235 and Trinity Cemetery.
David Stevens (Screenwriter)
David Stevens Obituary
Stevens co-wrote “Breaker Morant” with Bruce Beresford and Jonathan Hardy and received an Academy Award nomination. He also penned the fantastic play “The Sum of Us,” which enjoyed a successful year-long run in New York and earned the prestigious Outer Critics Circle Award. He adapted it into a feature film starring Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson, which won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Screenplay.
I’m thrilled to share that “The Sum of Us” is the exciting third instalment in Steven’s captivating “A Currency Trilogy,” following the fantastic “The Inn at the Beginning of the World.”The other is The Beast and Beauty, which premiered on 22 June 2012 at the Old Mill Theater in South Perth.
Stevens directed the Emmy-winning miniseries “A Town Like Alice” and wrote three novels: “The Waters of Babylon” and two co-written novels with Alex Haley, “Queen and Mama Flora’s Family,” which he then adapted into a TV miniseries. These are Alex Haley’s “Queen” (1993), for which he wrote the piece, and “Mama Flora’s Family” (1998).
Stevens received an Image Award from the NAACP for his work with Haley.
He lived in Tutukaka Coast, Northland, New Zealand and was an active member of the aviation website Airlines.net. Read More Obituaries in the US.
