John T. “Ted” Stevenson, of New Hampton, Missouri, passed away October 26, 2020 at the age of 89. The son of William T. and Clara Clark Stevenson, Ted was born July 10, 1931 in New Hampton.
Although a native born New Hampton boy, he moved with his parents and younger brother William Robert to many towns in Missouri during his father’s service in the CCC. He attended seven different schools before his family moved back to New Hampton and purchased the New Hampton Implement and Hardware Company when he was 14, a business started by his great uncles in 1916.
Ted was a graduate of New Hampton High School where he made many life long friends. After high school, he enrolled at Northwest Missouri State College (now NWMSU) before serving in the Korean War. After the war, Ted returned to college in his 1949 Buick and met the girl of his dreams, Gloria McConkey. Ted received his college degree with dual majors in industrial arts and mathematics. He and Gloria were married on June 12, 1959 in Barnard, Missouri at the United Methodist Church.
After returning home to New Hampton, Ted, always an entrepreneur, built upon the business his family had started and along with help from many others, grew the hardware business into a propane dealership that kept hundreds of homes and businesses warm for decades.
Ted was a farmer at heart who loved learning and following the latest in agricultural trends. He was assisted in all his farming and cattle endeavors by his partner, Eric Langfitt.
As a person devoted to the region, Ted served on many organizational boards, including the First State Bank of Gallatin/New Hampton (now BTC Bank) and Gentry County Memorial Hospital (now Mosaic-Albany). He was a member of the local VFW Post #2176 and American Legion Post #216, where he helped deliver final Military Rites for scores of fellow veterans. Ted was a dedicated driver for Road to Recovery and drove patients hundreds of miles. He was a member of the New Hampton Methodist Church his entire life.
Ted is survived by his devoted wife of 61 years, Gloria, and their daughter, Serena and husband Rick Naylor of Albany, Missouri. He is also survived by his two favorites; his grandchildren, Spenser Anne Cottrill and husband Bryant of Albany and Drake Stevenson Naylor of St. Louis, Missouri. Brother William R. Stevenson and wife Sandra of Montgomery, Alabama. Two nephews, Dean Stevenson (Cynthia) of Pflugerville, Texas and Donald Stevenson (Lisa) of Milton, Georgia. He is also survived by his sisters and brothers-in-laws, Sylvia and Aaron Thompson of Marion, Iowa, Susan and Danny Gooding of Raymore, Missouri, and David McConkey of Rochester, Minnesota and their wonderful families who were very special to him. Cousin Ruth Ann Homan, of Albany, who was more like his sister, cousin Jim Drake (Jan) of Sun City West, Arizona and many other dear cousins.
Ted especially enjoyed the many lively conversations he had with his friends and fellow coffee drinkers at Sara Daily’s Sundries and the Koffee Korner Kafe in New Hampton and McDonald’s in Bethany, Missouri. There was no one more intrinsically inquisitive, he constantly strived to learn more about everything and everyone.
Always a New Hampton boy, the family requests any memorial donations be made to the New Hampton Foster Cemetery, a place where he and brother Bill spent their summers mowing for many years. Private family memorial service to be held at a later date. Donations may be mailed to Roberson-Polley Chapel, 403 N. Hundley, Albany, MO 64402. Online Condolences: www.robersonpolleychapel.com