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The memorial services celebrating and honoring the life of Frederick Alan Stevens, 82, of Waukomis will be held privately at a later date. Complete cremation care and services are under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home.
He was born September 3, 1940, to J. Paul and June Stevens in Slaton, Texas, and passed from this life on February 21, 2023, in Waukomis, Oklahoma.Frederick was treated like a prince from birth by the nuns that fell in love with him at the Catholic Hospital in Slaton, Texas.
From that time forward he was deemed to be special he lived there with his parents and older brother until the age of three when his father, a Presbyterian minister, was sent to Taos, New Mexico in 1943. Taos, New Mexico is situated in one of the valleys of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range. The Presbyterian was attended by many, one family in particular, was the Randall’s who owned the lumber mill/shop. They had several children, one named Merlin, who was also three and whose birthday was just three days apart from Alan’s. While in Taos, Alan contracted Polio one summer and Rheumatic fever the next summer. Alan was one of the lucky ones, he survived both. The next seventy-five years would prove to be one of the most amazing friendships ever between those two little boys. They kept in touch, separated over the years by Alan’s father being moved around for service to the Presbytery, relocating to Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, they remained friends. In college, they were roommates at the University of New Mexico. Alan introduced Merlin to his beautiful wife Ada.
Taos was a very special place for all his life. Many, many wonderful memories of all the summers, school, friends, experiences made, and continued visits to Taos Canyon.
Taos Canyon was where he took his now wife of fifteen years, Linda, up into an Aspen Grove, which was owned by his mother at the time. They called it “The Forty”. The day started with a picnic lunch, the Aspens dancing in the wind, hiking, staring at the clouds in the sky, and seeing the cabin their family had built by hand with little resources and hard work, needless to say, she was hooked. The trip home from there was a full moon dancing in front of them all the way through the canyon. It was MAGICAL.
From Taos the family now with three boys moved to Denton, Texas where Alan spent fourth/fifth grade through junior high. It was during this time Alan traveled with his parents to New York, his father was invited to speak at a meeting at the UN, Alan was eight years old and still up until recently told this story often. After the meeting at the UN Alans father had some questions for Albert Einstein, the family went to the home of Mr. Einstein and were met by the housekeeper who was very protective of Mr. Einstein. With some persuasion Alan’s family was welcomed into the home to speak with Mr. Einstein. Alan remembered seeing Albert walk down the stairs with his hair so full it appeared to be floating, when he shook his hand, it was so soft, and Mr. Einstein had a very strong brogue about him.
From Denton, the family moved to Ft. Davis. Ft. Davis, despite having Polio and Rheumatic fever, Alan was Quarterback for the football team.
Alan and Linda made a trip to Ft. Davis for a high school reunion, it was way out in West Texas where light pollution is low, and the McDonald Observatory is located. One night they were there, and he wanted to take a drive and show her something. They drove out of Ft. Davis to a spot in between there and Alpine and Marfa, Texas. They got out and went to the back of the car and he had Linda look up, she saw a billion STARS, there was a cloud, but otherwise a very clear night. Elevation of 4800 feet. It were quiet, looking at the stars, he asked; “What do you think?” she said, “This would be perfect if that cloud would just move…” Alan began laughing so hard, he said, “Linda, that’s the MILKY WAY”, she couldn’t believe it, it was incredible. She had never seen so many stars at one time. She will never forget that. Alan always had a way of making everything better! He just DID!
While in Ft. Davis while attending school, another interesting thing happened. As luck would have it, Alan was ahead of his Junior Class and was promoted to Senior class where he took the Valedictorian spot away from the Valedictorian that was supposed to get that honor.
From Ft. Davis, he studied at the college at Texas Western, El Paso, and then moved to Albuquerque and the University of New Mexico. During that time, he stayed in the dorm with his best friend Merlin and then later moved in with his grandparents in their garage.
He worked the entire time at the hospital doing anything they would let him do, from Janitor to Orderly, to Scrub Tech for the Operating Room at Presbyterian to setting up the first Nuclear Medicine Lab at the VA Hospital. The VA had developed a Radioisotope that could measure the blood volume of patients coming off the Cardiac pump; this saved many, many lives.
The VA Hospital is where he met Dr. Mike Pollay, Neurosurgeon who wanted to start a Neurosurgery Residency program in Oklahoma. Dr. Pollay invited Alan to come with him to the University of Oklahoma Medical School with his family. He accepted and moved his family to Edmond, Oklahoma, in the summer of 1976. He worked in the Neuro Research lab with Dr. Pollay, Scrub tech in the OR at OU Medical Center, and worked all over the country over the next forty years for Cordis and Medtronic’s, assisting in the Operating room, programming patients following implants from pain stimulators to Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s and Essential tremor Patients. Dr. Pollay and Alan collaborated on many medical papers as they advanced studies on the Blood/Brain barrier and Spine. He worked closely with Dr. Pollay and gained his utmost respect; they became lifelong friends.
Alan met his current wife of fifteen years in 1989 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Enid, Oklahoma. They became friends as he was performing magic, for fun and extra income, plus he just loved making people happy. Alan did several parties through those early years for Linda’s kids and her family among others and the hospital. Alan and Linda lost touch for about eight years and reconnected in 2003 and were married in a small ceremony at the Waukomis Christian Church on April 1, 2007.
Alan had always known that Linda had dreamed about becoming an RN since being a little girl. Alan suggested Linda pursue her greatest desire to be a nurse and supported her endeavors. He was planning on retiring and wanted Linda to take over his practice of programming DBS patients under Dr. Francel.
After Alan retired, they moved to her hometown in Waukomis, Oklahoma, at that time he joined The Waukomis Christian Church.
Alan was present at the 1970 founding of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad and was one of those heroic volunteers who labored to move and save the Cumbres and Toltec Narrow Gauge Railroad that is still in operation as a passenger tourist train fifty-two years later. Linda loved mountains and trains; they go together like Linda and Alan. So many vacations were spent riding, chasing, and photographing trains and mountains. Alan and Linda took every opportunity to travel all over the country and on cruises to Alaska and Hawaii to achieve the “I’ve been to all 50 states” box. He was so happy to accomplish that.
Alan expanded the room when he walked in! He was bigger than life and always looked to make anyone and everyone feel special. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Alan is survived by his wife Linda, of the home; son Scott and wife Karla, of Ft. Collins, Colorado; daughter Jana and husband Bradley Reiner, of Driftwood, Texas; grandchildren, Aubrey Reiner, of Austin, Texas, Blaine Reiner, of Seattle, Washington; Linda’s daughter, Maghan Buffkin, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, with grandchildren Brandt and Sophie, Linda’s son, Eric, with grandchildren, Aubrey and Zaiden, of Vinita, Oklahoma; brothers, Paul, Hays and Norman, Both of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and nephews, cousins, many, many, extended family members; and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one granddaughter, Madison Mathis, who met him at Heaven’s gates.
“Day is dying in the west; Heav’n is touching Earth with rest; wait and worship while the night sets her evening lamps alight through the sky.” – Mary A. Lathbury (1878)
Memorials may be made in his honor to Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad with Brown-Cummings Funeral Home serving as custodian of the funds.
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