George Stevenson

George W. "Steve" Stevenson IV, age 83 of rural Darlington, WI passed away Friday, February 16, 2024, at BeeHive Homes in Mount Horeb, WI. Steve is the first son of George W. and Carolyn (Hurley) Stevenson III and was born on April 1, 1940. He grew up in Darlington and graduated from Darlington High School in 1958 as the valedictorian in his class. During his school days, Steve was an active member of the 4-H Club working with his brother, Gene, in raising prize winning Landrace hogs. Throughout high school he worked on the Stevenson family farm helping with crops to feed the Red Angus Cattle He also enjoyed athletics, lettering in track, basketball, and football. After high school, Steve attended the University of Wisconsin for four years graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1962 with a major in American History. After graduation, Steve received the Woodrow Wilson National Foundation Scholarship and chose Johns Hopkins University to start his master's degree majoring in history. After a year into the program, Steve was accepted into the Peace Corp and spent 2 years in Liberia, Africa, as an administrator and a teacher in the back country working for the United States government. During his time in Africa he helped modernize business records, build a soccer field for youth activities, and taught in a public high school. When he returned from the Peace Corp, he completed his master's degree in Sociology from the University of Michigan. On June 17, 1967, Steve married Ann F. Brown. They met in Africa where Fay taught chemistry in a college near where Steve worked. A son, Sean, was born from this marriage. The family moved to Minneapolis, MN where Steve received a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Minnesota in 1972. He then joined the faculty of LaSalle University in Philadelphia. In 1983, Steve and son Sean moved back to Darlington to work with his father managing the Stevenson Heritage Farm. The registered Red Angus beef herd increased in size and prime grade beef was sold locally and to commercial companies. During this time Steve also taught Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and later was the Associate Director of the Center for Integrated Agriculture Systems at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During his time in Madison, Steve married Kathleen Holt in 1993, which rewarded Steve with two step-daughters: Kristin and Robin. Over his lifetime, Steve embarked on several adventures. Hiking the mountains of New Zealand, visiting the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru and riding camels in the Moroccan desert were some of his favorites. A celebration of life will occur at a later date. The Erickson Funeral Home in Darlington, WI is serving the family. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.ericksonfuneralhome.com.