Eric Alton Stevens

Eric Alton Stevens, 63, of Marion, Iowa, went home to be with the Lord on May 29, 2025, at Living Center West, Cedar Rapids, IA.

Eric was born August 22, 1961, in Ames, Iowa to George and Zelda Stevens. When he was just a toddler he moved with his parents and two sisters to Waterloo, Iowa where he attended Kittrell Elementary School, West Junior High School, and graduated from West High School in 1979. As a little boy he was adored by his sisters, Pat and Gayle, and as he grew up, he loved to accompany his dad on fishing excursions. Together they explored rivers and streams and always came home with some fine catches. Eric and his dad also spent many weekends hunting together and brought home pheasant and rabbit to grace the family table. He was an avid boy scout, earning a multitude of badges and awards and a good saxophone player in the high school marching band. He had a passion for 1,000 to 5,000-piece puzzles and played involved board games with his mom, other family members, friends and anyone he could cajole into these endeavors! An avid reader, he read history, science, science fiction, fantasy, mystery and spent many hours in bookstores and filled his bookshelves at home. Fiddling with computers and collecting stamps and coins were other hobbies. And his red pickup truck was his pride and joy!

Eric's parents nurtured him in the Christian faith. He grew up at First Baptist Church and later Walnut Ridge Baptist Church, both in Waterloo, IA, where he gave his life to Christ and was baptized by immersion in 1973. Early in his college years, he spent a short time in ROTC, (US) Reserve Officers' Training Corps, but health issues of Klinefelter syndrome and Pyoderma kept him from pursuing that dream and other hopes. He graduated from Upper Iowa University in Fayette in 1983 with a degree in Environmental Science and was forever a student of nature. He was employed at the former Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, IA for his entire career, working in the metal plating department until transitioning to custodial work. In recent years, he lived at Living Center West in Cedar Rapids, IA where he made many new friends. There he enjoyed the activities, played games, puzzled, colored, and exchanged stories with the community and attentive and caring staff. The family would like to thank Living Center West staff for their unwavering hospitality and kindness.

Eric is survived by his sisters Patricia (John) Mauser and Gayle (Paul) Wilcox and many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews, and a great-grand-nephew. He was preceded in death by a great nephew and a great niece, and his beloved parents, George Alton and Zelda Lorraine Stevens.

Graveside services for Eric will be Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 10:30 AM, at Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery, 3430 W 4th St., Waterloo. Memorials should be directed to the family. Online condolences may be expressed at www.lockefuneralservices.com.