Jeffrey Bruce Stevenson, 76, passed away at home while holding his wife Nancy’s hand on June 13, 2023, after a brief battle with papillary renal cell cancer.  A loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, he will be greatly missed by the many people he touched during his life.

Born in Fargo, ND on April 4, 1947, Jeff retained a love of North Dakota throughout his life, always finding fellow Fargonians with a delighted smile. Jeff was the second-born of four siblings, Kent, (Jeff), Kyla, and Marcy, and in young photographs he was often the one with his cheeks puffed out. His family moved to Minnesota in 1960, where Jeff graduated from Edina High School in 1965. Soon after starting at the University of Minnesota, he met the love of his life, Nancy, in a freshman Shakespeare class. They enjoyed two years together in the university choir, having found an activity that would continue as part of their lives for decades to come.  A member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, Jeff graduated in 1969 with a degree in Economics. One week later, Jeff and Nancy were married on June 14 in Minneapolis.

After receiving his Master’s in Hospital Administration from the University of Minnesota, Jeff embarked upon his career spanning hospitals from Portland (ME), Minneapolis (MN), Red Wing (MN), Bellingham (WA), Ames (IA), to La Crosse (WI), where he served as a Vice President at Gundersen Lutheran starting in 1996. After his time at Gundersen, Jeff combined his years of administrative expertise with his passion for the arts, working for 6 seasons as the Managing Director of the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona (MN). He also served on many boards and organizations, including Visit Winona, the La Crosse Chamber Chorale, the Rochester Community Development Council for Minnesota Public Radio, and as treasurer for Concordia Ballroom, Continental Dancers, and Senate Dance.

After retiring Jeff discovered a love of cooking, delighting in the creativity and experimentation, as well as the opportunity to nourish those around him. To Jeff, all moments in life were to be savored and appreciated. A good walk, downhill skiing, a beautiful sunset – all were reasons to celebrate and were best enjoyed with friends or family.

Singing and dancing were a recurring theme, as Jeff and Nancy were regularly twirling across the dance floors in La Crosse.  Jeff was also a longtime singer with the UWL Choral Union, which he and Nancy first joined in 1999.  During their time in Ames, Jeff and Nancy waltzed in The Nutcracker Ballet for several seasons, which brought the whole family onto the stage. Jeff also expressed his love of music as an enthusiastic audience member for many musical groups across the region, and you could tell when he was at home by whether the radio was on, classical music floating through the air.

One of Jeff’s many passions in life was photography, and his keen eye and appreciation for the world around him meant a camera was often slung around his neck. His friends and family tried to make sure he was also in the photos and not just behind the lens, and happily Jeff embraced group selfies in the past few years. Jeff loved a good sunset or river vista, using the opportunity to capture a fragment of the magic of nature through his lens. Jeff’s photography skills also shone in catching friends and family enjoying life.

A devoted husband, Jeff loved sharing the moments of life with Nancy, whether it was spending time with friends, enjoying a peaceful evening on the deck, or watching one of her many music concerts. Influenced by his Norwegian grandfather, Jeff taught Andy and Sara to stand up straight and live life with kindness, instilling the value of listening to others and taking the time for a good conversation. Jeff’s belief in hard work and curiosity about the world have been passed on to his children and grandchildren, who enjoyed sharing interesting projects, time outside together, and thoughtful reflections with him.

After Jeff’s determination in tackling his cancer and subsequent stroke, his quick decline over the past few weeks was unexpected by all who knew him. His positive attitude and smiles throughout were appreciated by everyone during the past few months, and those small things made the experience more bearable. He was treasured deeply and will be missed deeply.

Jeff is survived by Nancy, his wife of 54 years, daughter Sara (Joseph) Stevenson Scrimshaw, son Andy (Cindy) Stevenson and 3 grandchildren (Kayla, Lydia, Aidan), brother Kent (Jan) Stevenson, sisters Kyla (Richard) Wahlstrom and Marcy (Mark) Swenson, and will be remembered fondly by many relatives and friends both near and far. Jeff is preceded in death by his mother Agnes and father Russell.

In celebration of Jeff’s life, consider doing something kind and helpful for someone or giving in some way to make the world more beautiful through the arts, nature, or bringing a community together. If you would like a specific organization to donate to in Jeff’s honor, we suggest any of the arts groups listed here or the Cappella Performing Arts Center.

A celebration of life will be held in La Crosse on Monday, July 31 at the Cappella Performing Arts Center (721 King Street, La Crosse, WI 54601) at 2pm with a light reception following. The doors will be open at 1pm for people to gather and connect before the event.