Raymond Henry Stevens

A much-loved husband, father, grandfather, son and brother, Raymond Stevens, 71, of Raleigh, North Carolina, passed away peacefully at his home on the evening of October 28, 2018. Born on October 21, 1947, Raymond was the son of the late James Stevens and Grace Anne Stevens-Smith. In 1966, Raymond was drafted into the United States Army where he would serve 6 momentous years as an engineering specialist. Following his passion, Raymond would ultimately find his way into the kitchen. As a chef, he would display an impeccable knack for crafting dishes for his guests. Following his military stint, Raymond continued his culinary journey as head chef at the Stonegates Retirement Community. Building on his military training, Raymond was known for running a “tight”, professional kitchen. His colleagues affectionately dubbed him “Rude Boy”. At was here at Stonegates where he would first meet a young woman named Annette. Later, Raymond and Annette would marry and spend time adventuring to Caribbean Islands, jet-skiing, para-sailing and dining exquisitely. When he wasn’t cooking up treats, Raymond was most likely to be found watching his favorite TV shows which included Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, and pretty much everything on CNN. He also enjoyed traveling and spending time with his granddaughter. Raymond is survived by his loving wife, Annette Stevens; One son: Anthony Stevens of Wilmington, DE; Two Step-Sons: Devin Brown (wife Lori) of Garner, NC, Kareem Brown (wife Kaleena) of Christiansburg, VA; Two sisters: Jackie Hawkes (husband Leonard) of Wilmington, DE, Paula Stevens of Wilmington, DE; Seven grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. “He fought a good fight, he kept the faith, he won the race!” Visitation will be Friday from 6-8 PM at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Garner. Memorial Service will be Sat. at 11 AM in the Bryan-Lee Funeral Chapel, Garner.