Paul Symonds Stevens was known to his classmates as Paul Symonds. He changed his name sometime after graduation and active service in order to honor his stepfather. Paul was born in 1937 and raised in Wethersfield, CT. He attended high school in Connecticut, lettering in soccer and hockey. He, along with 765 other eager young men, walked through the sally port to begin their journey with the Class of 1960 on July 3, 1956.
Although life can be difficult, it is what one makes of it that counts. Paul suffered his first major injury as a plebe but came back to contribute to the Army soccer team throughout his cadet career. His off-the-field energy was consumed by his efforts, much of it after “Taps,” to successfully bring his academic standing into the top half of the class.
After Armor Basic, he attended Ranger School, which he successfully completed after three attempts: the first ended with evacuation from the Florida phase with a viral infection, the second with another injury to his left knee in the Mountain phase, and the third with successful completion of all phases and graduation. His drive and tenacity were clearly exhibited by his extensive efforts to gain a small piece cloth. He completed Airborne School without a mishap.
At his first duty station (Fort Lewis, WA), he served in the 8th Cavalry, 4th Infantry Division until he transferred to the 39th Infantry, where he commanded both armor and anti-tank platoons. He was shipped to Germany during the Berlin Crisis.
After the Berlin Crisis, he transferred to the Ordnance Branch. In 1963, he resigned and went back to the same job as a civilian. He earned his MBA in 1968 from Farleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ. By 1969, he was a GS-14. In 1975, he had the first of six surgeries, which left him partially paralyzed. He resigned, disabled, from Civil Service in 1978. Ultimately, he was declared 100-percent disabled by the Veteran’s Administration for service-connected injuries.
He took over the management of his grandfather’s extensive estate in 1978. In 1981, he was awarded a Juris Doctor Law Degree from the Delaware Law School, Widener University. The bar examination was a tri-state effort (New Jersey-New York-Pennsylvania) with different civil and criminal procedures in each state! While he never sat for the bar examination, the legal background and experience greatly assisted his management of the estate. He fully retired in 2007.
He married Jacquelin Bird in 1965; they divorced in December 1983. Paul’s son, Philip, was born in 1969 in Denville, NJ. Paul was very proud of his son, who earned a bachelor’s degree in technology and an MBA from the University of Maryland and is the president/owner of a landscaping firm. Philip played hockey, soccer, tennis, and lacrosse during his elementary, high school and college years. Today, he coaches hockey with his sons, Ryan and Jacob. Every year Paul and his family attended Army Hockey games on a regular basis and was a proud member of the Army “A” club. He would never miss a season!
Paul was a Life Member of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was sickened by the lack of interest of recent military members in these organizations.
In spite of health issues, Paul accomplished much. His efforts in all phases of his life fall in line with the West Point concept of “Duty.” Virgil seems to express it best with: “They are able who think they are able.”
— Philip Stevens and ‘Deacon’