May 12, 2009 – Gifford Timothy Stevens Sr., known to many on St. Thomas as "Sonny" and to many in his native St. Kitts as "Dr. Longs," died at the Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., on May 5, following a courageous battle with cancer.
Sonny was born in Sandy Point, St. Kitts, on May 1, 1946. He moved to St. Thomas in 1967, where he met and married Elizabeth Tonge. He was an employee of Armour Enterprises, the real estate development company, for more than 30 years. He worked primarily at the Royal Dane Mall and International Plaza on Main Street. Sonny enjoyed fishing, scuba diving and cricket, and he was an accomplished cook. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends.
Sonny is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Stevens; daughter, La-Reine Richardson of Hightstown, New Jersey; his son and his wife, Dion and Schattell Richardson of St. Thomas; stepson, Anthony Lee of Chicago, Illinois; daughter, Dian Stevens of Washington, D.C.; his daughter and her husband, Jennifer and Kevin King of Washington, D.C.; son Gifford T. Stevens Jr. of St. Thomas; and daughter Heather Stevens and her fiancé Christopher Wildmann of Lansdale, Pennsylvania. He is also survived by grandchildren: Rainer Nisbett, Hunter Richardson, Damani Richardson, She-mani Richardson, Lovely Richardson and Zarina King; step-grandchildren: Azarra Lee and Azra Lee; mother, Lillian Stevens Griffith of Cayon, St. Kitts; six brothers and six sisters, all of Cayon and Sandy Point, St. Kitts; nephew, Bill Murray; nieces: Sharmaine Williams-Stapleton, Cyronia Maynard and Annette Murray; brother-in-law, John Tonge; and sisters-in-law: Naomi Browne, Agatha Tonge and Marianne Tonge. Other survivors include friends: Andrea Leach, Freestan Spencer, Wilston Buchanan, Gladys Dennis, Gayle Frett, Gladys Jones, Emmanuel Rabsatt, Constance Tonge, Bernice Galloway, Rupert Lettsome, Maria Ferreras, Elizabeth Love, Tom Love, Charlesworth Edwards, Carlos Fondeur, Annie Fondeur, Carlito Fondeur; as well as many other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
A viewing will be held at 4 p.m., Sunday, May 17, at the Turnbull Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, May 18, at All Saints Anglican Church in Garden Street. Burial will follow in the Eastern Cemetery.
Arrangements are by the Turnbull Funeral Home.
