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Mr. Stevens, or Al, was a member of the faculty when we were in junior high school (Coolidge) and the high school when we were there. He assisted coach several sports. He graduated from Moline High School in 1947 and played football and basketball. His 1947 yearbook says he was one of the best athletes in the class and well liked, too. He later became a counsellor at MHS and retired after serving as MHS's Principal.
His obituary:
Albert Peter Stevens, 93, formerly of Moline, passed away Friday, April 7, 2023, at Edward Hospital in Naperville, IL.
Cremation will take place and private graveside services will be held at a later date at St. Mary’s Cemetery, East Moline. Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd., Moline, is assisting the family.
Al was born on September 21, 1929, in Moline, the son of Clement and Alice (Bruyntjens) Stevens. He married Zoe Ann Wheeler on August 4, 1951, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Moline. She preceded him in death on February 18, 2021. Al retired from the Moline-Coal Valley School District, where he worked as a teacher, counselor and later principal of Moline High School.
Survivors include his children, Robert Stevens, Betsy (Kent) Smith, Scott (Terri) Stevens; grandchildren, Katelynn (Ryan) Moore, Kariann (Drew) Wickett, Diane Johnson, Ryan Smith, Kylie Smith, Alyssa Stevens, Patrick (Kate) Stevens, Sean Stevens; 8 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Zoe; son, Bill and daughter-in-law, Soni Stevens. https://www.esterdahl.com/obituary/Albert-Stevens#tributewall
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Anita M Brotherton (Sargeant)
Mr. Stevens was on of my favorite teachers of History. Mary Blade and I were in his class together and we both loved his class.
Richard S Baldwin
I had Al Stevens as a gym instructor at Coolidge and sophomore football coach. I always enjoyed the way he coached as he was strict but fair. He evidently went on to positions of greater responsibility s and was an asset to the Moline school system.
Diane S Gardner (Desherow)
Mr Steven's was a neighbor of mine. He would pick me up on my way to Coolidge. I always appreciated him. He was a good man.Richard C. Anderson
When I was at Coolidge Mr. Stevens was my gym teacher. One time he found I had too many towels in my locker and punished me by making me do pushups all gym class instead of being able to dance with the girls that day! Funny looking back on it. Sylvia was a teacher at MHS when he was the principal. Like Rich Baldwin said, he was tough but fair. He was friendly with my folks when my brother and his son went on to play football at Northwestern about the same time. He was an asset to the Moline school system for a long time.
Gail Stevens (Barber)
When our kids talked about their principal, Mr. Stevens, we shared some stories of when he was our teacher. One thing didn't change. He worked hard for the students.
Lewis N Sears
I remember being a chubby kid in 7th grade and, encouraged by Mr Stevens in gym class, made it all the way to the top of the rope climb. Totally exhausted at the top pf the rope I slide down taking the skin off my hands. Mr Stevens was there to catch me and got vaseline and bandaged my hands. A tough but compassionate guy who helped a chubby little kid get to the top and caught him after the fall.
Jim Wilson (Wilson)
Looking back, Al Stevens' passion for history ignited mine. International business and vacation travels usually lead to the host country's museums or historical sites. It's too late to share the impact with him, but the outcome of his influence is in the form of the 5th book I'll release late this year The Cherry Tree Weeps for Me - A Quest for the Dawn of Peace. The back cover copy is shown here:
"James Mikel Wilson is to be applauded for his fine biography of Takashi Komatsu. When major conflicts come to a close, such as the current Russian - Ukrainian War, who will be the artists of peace who can bring together the warring parties past the residual anger, to cooperation and even friendship? Komatsu was such a man, and his impactful life seems almost incomprehensible." Dr. Stan S. Katz, author of The Art of Diplomacy.
The 12-year-old son of a bankrupt merchant departs Japan in 1899 on an arduous journey to pursue the American dream. Against the odds, he overcomes discrimination and gains admittance to Monmouth College and then Harvard to become a student class leader. His commencement speech, The Dawn of Peace, launches him on his lifelong quest.
As director of a large shipping company, Komatsu resists the rise of militarism pushing Japan to war. And on the heels of Japan's surrender ending WWII, General MacArthur seeks his assistance to raise Japan up from the devastation to restore democracy and re-establish amity between the U.S. and Japan, bringing Komatsu to ally with U.S. presidents, American ambassadors, college presidents, philanthropists, governors, and Japanese prime ministers. And who would have imagined that just 19 years after that conflict, Komatsu’s actions would lead to the 1964 Olympic Summer Games coming to Tokyo, the first in Asia?
Finally, what does it mean to Komatsu as a young Japanese woman escorts the Olympic flame from Athens across Asia over what was once a ravished land? And why does he receive the prestigious Blue Ribbon Medal of the Imperial Government?"
Thank you, Al Stevens, for awakening a lifelong curiosity to learn history and connect it to the present! And, for your encouragment in gym to run faster.