SOMERVILLE - Donald R. Stevens, Sr, 60, died Monday, December 4, 2017 at Sussman Hospice House, following a 30-year gallant battle against Multiple Sclerosis.

Born in Gardiner, February 11th, 1957, he was the son of Francis and Clara Hutchinson Stevens. Don lived with his family in various places throughout his youth. For several years, he lived in Poland where he attended local schools and later graduated from Edward Little High School in Auburn.

Following high school, Don was employed as a truck driver with various companies until beginning employment with the Maine Department of Transportation. He worked several years with the DOT until being disabled with MS.

Since that time, his indomitable spirit gave Don the ability to overcome many of the adversities of his illness. Several times he was told by his physicians he would never walk again. But .... just six weeks ago, he walked more than 60 feet at his home.

In earlier years and with his father, Don loved hunting. He was an ardent gun collector and at one time with is good friend Bill Leighton, ran a gun shop in Poland.

June 2nd, 2002, Don married the 'love of his life', Emily S. Percival. Together, they spent the last 15 years combining their horse and tractor hobbies at their Rustic Acres Farm in Somerville.

Don was a founding member of the Maine Antique Tractor Association and a passionate member of the National Rifle Association.

Other than his parents, Don was pre-deceased by one bother James Stevens. He is survived by three sons, Donald R. Stevens, Jr. and his wife Sarah of Leeds, Kenneth Stevens and his wife Lyndsey of Oxford, Taylor ‘TJ’ Benoit of Somerville; seven grandchildren: Benjamin, Kathryn, Audrey, Matt, Ethan, Braeden and Connor; his life-long friend, Mike Belanger of Pittston, as well as several extended family members.

A Celebration of Don's life will be held at 10:00 am, Monday, December 11, 2017, at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home 110 Limerock Street Rockland, ME 04841. Interment will be Monday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., at Pine Grove Cemetery, Browns Road, Poland. Rev. David English will officiate.

Those who wish may make memorial donations with checks made payable to National M/S Society, mailed to: Memorials and Tributes, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater New England Chapter, P.O. Box 845945, Boston, MA 02284-5945.