Carol and Bert Stevenson passed away together from COVID-19 on January 8, 2021 at Salina Regional Hospital.
About Carol
Carol Lee Blehm was born in Salina, KS to Mary and Emmanuel Blehm in July of 1940. She was the fifth of eight children. She is survived by her two daughters, Pennie Pickering (Richard Roberts), and Jody (Mike) Lentz, and grandchildren Ryan (Mollie) Lentz, Richie (Kelli) Lentz, and Andy (Hannah) Lentz, Carter Roberts and Peri Roberts, and six great grandchildren who all live in the Seattle area. She is also survived by her two older sisters in Salina, Berniece Pickrell and Loretta Williams, and a younger brother, Everett Blehm of Oregon. She was preceded in death by her previous two husbands; Larry Pickering (1975), Stanley Pickering (2008) and four other siblings; Dorothy Schultz, Betty Delgado, Larry Blehm, and Marilyn Mann.
Growing up in Salina, Carol had to quit school after completing the 7th grade to help the family pay bills. She met her first husband, Larry Pickering, while working at the Chili House. They married when she was 14 and he was 16 years old. Together they raised their two daughters, moving to Colorado, the Bay Area in California, and then eventually settling in the Seattle area in 1967. Both Carol and Larry were strong minded and capable entrepreneurs who found individual success with their own businesses. They were married for 21 years until Larry died of cancer at the age of 37 in 1975. They had more than beat the odds by sticking together and raising two daughters while each one was working on their own education and becoming business owners. Carol chose cosmetology school after her GED and owned and operated “Carol Lee’s” salon for 7 years in downtown Bellevue, WA. In 1970 she partnered with two others to form Chalet Screens Bel-Kirk Glass. After Larry passed in 1975, Carol operated that company for 34 years.
Carol was immensely proud of her loving family. Her daughters and their families live in the Northwest; Pennie and Richard have two grown daughters in their twenties; Jody and Mike have 3 married sons and six grandchildren. Carol was also a stepmom and a surrogate “mom” to many, including other family members and friends. Her commitment to family was most important to her.
About Bert
Albert Fremont Stevenson Jr. (Bert) was born to Albert and Iva (Cooper) Stevenson on July 21, 1943 in Salina, Kansas. He is survived by children, Sharolyn (John) Hoffman of Salina, Doug (Nicke) Stevenson of Falun, and Shelli (Ron) Redden of Concordia, his grandchildren Dalton (Summer) Hoffman, Tyler Stevenson, Casey (Trevor) Turner, Garrett Redden, Dane Hoffman, Whittney Hoffman, and Payton Stevenson, a sister Charlotte Lytle of Abilene, several nieces, nephews and beloved friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Bud, Bob, Charley, and his sisters Shirley Reed and Mary Caroline Schmidt.
Bert grew up in a one-bedroom home built by his father, a small space for such a large family. It was filled with love, song, and shenanigans. Bert married his first wife Sharon (Williams) in 1962 with whom they raised their family. Bert was a very talented craftsman and worked for some local construction companies as well as operating his own company, Salina Home Improvements. In 1982 after his marriage had ended, he realized that he needed to make some positive changes in his life, and he joined Alcoholics Anonymous. AA changed Bert’s life for the better and he remained devoted to the program and continued to attend meetings until the time of his death and was sober for 39 years. Through the years he mentored many people, becoming a treasured gift to many lives and families.
In 1995 Bert founded Stevenson Construction along with his son Doug, and they worked together until his retirement in 2002. In his retirement years Bert spent his time woodcarving, and he was very talented at it. He also enjoyed fishing, boating, hunting, and traveling. Not one to sit still much, he also took on jobs reading meters for Westar and delivering busses for El Dorado bus.
Together
In 2008, after the death of her second husband, Carol permanently relocated to Brookville, KS. It was in Brookville where she and Bert met in 2009. Once they started dating, it was clear they were made to be together. Even though Bert was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, Carol was not deterred and spent the rest of her life loving and caring for him. They married in 2012 and they both referred to each other as the love of their life. Both families were so happy for them as they were so very happy together.
They were “living-in-the-moment” because they both understood that life is short, and it is important to experience all that you want in the here and now. Bert enjoyed taking his love out on the town and dancing the night away, even singing for her an Elvis tune or two.
Together Carol and Bert traveled in their motor home, spent winters in southern Texas, took many trips to the Northwest and around other parts of the country. They enjoyed pontoon boating on Kannapolis Lake every summer, and they were always visiting with family and friends. The two of them radiated love and made everyone around them feel welcomed, treasured, and happy.
Bert will be remembered for the way he made people feel. He had a way of knowing what it was that a person needed to hear, and he made sure that you knew that you were special. He is known for regularly answering when asked how is was doing with “Better than I deserve!” He was creative, talented, kind, and had a great sense of humor.
Carol will be remembered for her enormous generosity and kindness, her humility, her loving acceptance of all people, her loyalty to anyone fortunate to be her family or friend, her amazing ability to move forward and never look back, her ability to forgive, her beauty and presence, her sense of humor and fun-loving spirit, and her compassionate caregiving for loved ones. In the hearts of all who knew her, she will always simply be “pure love”.
Carol and Bert had many lifelong friends and were very actively involved with their ever-growing family. These two will spend eternity with each other and they passed away together just as they would have wanted, hand in hand. We are so thankful for the years we were able to spend with these amazing people.
A Celebration of Life is planned for Carol and Bert Stevenson on July 3, 2021. For more information or to leave condolences go to www.ryanmortuary.com
Donations in Bert and Carol’s memory can be made to these organizations that were important to them:
Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org
Parkinson’s Research, michaeljfox.org
Cancer Research, fredhutch.org/donate