Dr. Lehrue Stevens Jr.,

Dr. Lehrue Stevens Jr., - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P Sevier September 27, 2024

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Dr. Lehrue Stevens Jr., - Madison Parish, Louisiana
Lake Charles American Press Lake Charles, LA September 27, 2024

Dr. Lehrue “Sonny” Stevens Jr., M.D., a distinguished pathologist, educator, and community leader, passed away peacefully on Sept. 20, 2024 at the age of 92, surrounded by his family. Born in Tallulah, La., on Aug. 2, 1932, to Dr. Lehrue and Dorothy Trammel Stevens, Lehrue devoted his life to the pursuit of medical excellence and the service of others.

He graduated from Lake Charles High School in 1950 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University in 1953, followed by his M.D. from LSU in 1957. His commitment to medicine led him to an internship and residency in Pathology at the LSU School of Medicine, where he completed his fellowship under Dr. Russell Holman at Charity Hospital in New Orleans.

Throughout these achievements, he balanced his roles as a young husband and father, demonstrating an incredible work ethic grounded in honesty, integrity, and a strong moral compass. It was at LSU Medical School where he first laid eyes on the love of his life, Betty Ann Scheib. Betty often reminisced about seeing Lehrue from the surgical observation deck, where he stood with his thumbs in his belt loops and a big smile on his face. They wed in 1955 and moved to Lake Charles, building a life filled with love and cherished memories for 67 remarkable years, until Betty’s passing in 2023. Every evening, Lehrue and Betty would end their day with a glass of wine in the hot tub, a ritual they cherished until their final days together.

A trailblazer in pathology, Dr. Stevens served as Chief Resident at Charity Hospital and held numerous leadership roles throughout his career. His early achievements included Deputy Chief of Pathology at the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital in San Francisco, serving his country as a physician in the United States Navy, and working as an Associate Pathologist at St. Vincent’s Hospital and the University of Arkansas Medical School. Upon returning to Lake Charles, he left a lasting impact as Associate Pathologist and Director of the School of Medical Technology at St. Patrick Hospital.

For over four decades, Dr. Stevens was the Director and CEO of The Pathology Laboratory, a private clinical lab he founded in Lake Charles. His influence extended to clinical roles at hospitals across Southwest Louisiana, including CHRISTUS St. Patrick, West Calcasieu-Cameron, and Beauregard Memorial Hospitals. As a Clinical Professor of Pathology at LSU School of Medicine and LSU School of Dentistry, he mentored countless medical professionals and held leadership positions in organizations such as the Louisiana State Medical Society and the American Cancer Society. Notably, he was also appointed to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.

Dr. Stevens also served as Deputy Coroner and Medical Examiner for Calcasieu Parish for two decades. He was a past president of the Calcasieu Parish Medical Society and the Louisiana Division of the American Cancer Society, serving on its Board of Directors from 1964 until the present. He was an original member and lifetime donor of the LSU School of Medicine’s Committee of 100 – Champions of Excellence since its inception in 1983. Dr. Stevens was respected by all who knew him for his unwavering word, deep knowledge, and sound judgment.

Beyond his medical achievements, he was an engaged community leader, serving on the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee and as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1996 and 2000. Along with his friend, Sharon Lafuria, he co-founded the local Republican Roundtable, which met monthly for 20 years to discuss conservative values.

Many remember Lehrue and Betty for their enthusiasm for life. Together, they loved exploring the world with their cherished group of friends and relished the finer things in life, art, music, travel, food, wine, champagne, friends, and family. Lehrue was honored to serve as King of the Krewe of Mystique in 1993 and King of the Krewe of Contraband in 2007.

Dr. Stevens was a member of SAE fraternity during his time at LSU and later became a proud member of the Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF). He loved LSU football and tailgated at Tiger Stadium for every game for over 50 years, a tradition his children and grandchildren continue today. Lehrue was an avid snow skier and a founding member of The Pelican Ski Club. He was also instrumental in the development of the Lake Charles Racquet Club, where he served as its president. In tribute to his love of tennis and to honor Betty, an enthusiastic tennis player, he founded an endowed tennis scholarship at LSU in her name.

Dr. Stevens was passionate about walking daily until the last days of his life and loved to read from sunup to sundown, often with four books going at once.

Those left to cherish his memory include his children, Shawn Marie Stevens Thomson of Aspen, Colo.; Lehrue “Lash” Stevens III (LeeAnna) and Eric Trammell Stevens (Shawn) of Lake Charles; his grandchildren, Sarah Ann Carey of Sandpoint, Idaho, Savannah Marie Wood (Frank Jr.), Lehrue “Rue” Stevens IV (Sara Jae), Samantha Rachel Stevens, and his great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Ann Wood and Lehrue Stevens V, of Lake Charles, La. Dr. Stevens is also survived by his niece, Catherine Lea Crouch Nagem; his nephew, Dr. Madison Stevens Crouch, and his brother-in-law, Joseph Gilbert Scheib of New Orleans.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 67 years, Betty Ann Scheib Stevens; his parents, Dorothy and Lehrue Stevens, and his sister, Dorothy Catherine Stevens Crouch of Gulfport, Miss.

The family would like to thank Carolane Citizen and other caregivers from LeeAnna’s Caregiving Service, who took care of Lehrue with love, care, and dignity. Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in the Johnson Funeral Home of Lake Charles Chapel and will continue until 6 p.m. Visitation will resume on Monday morning at 11 a.m. and continue until leaving in procession to the church at 12:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church, 5495 Elliott Road, Lake Charles, La., where Msgr. Jace Eskind will serve as Celebrant. A burial will follow at Consolata Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Mazen’s Restaurant on College Street in Lake Charles from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Words of comfort to the family may be expressed at www.johnson funeralhome.net. Please direct any contributions to The McNeese Foundation.