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  William Henry Yale Stevens
William Henry Yale Stevens was born on March 12, 1919, in Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania, to Rosa Duncan Sharpe and Yale I Stevens. was graduated from Phillips Academy at Andover in 1937, and from the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University in 1941,where he was elected to St.
Elmo. In Rye his family lived on Thistle Lane. _-_NH_67629.jpg) He received his training for the U. S. Naval Reserve this Summer, and upon attaining his rank of ensign in September, 1941 and was awarded a citation "for outstanding service in the line of duty." He graduated from the Midshipmen's School aboard the USS Prairie State and is on active duty there as an instructor.  He married Mary Belknap Miller on November 20, 1941 at the Dutch Reformed Church, Bronxville, NY, with the Rev. Dr. John Henderson Powell officiating. A small reception, for members of the bridal party and the immediate families followed at the Miller home. They had six children together.
William served as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served in the U. S. Navy first teaching in a U. S. Naval Reserve Midshipman School. He taught on the USS Prairie State training ship moored in the Hudson River prior to his command assignment and going into sea duty in both ocean theatres.
 William commanded sub-chasers and destroyer escorts. When the European war ended, he was part of the flotilla that accepted the surrender of the German Navy in the English Channel Islands. He retired as a lieutenant commander with five years service.
After the war, William went on to teach mathematics at both the middle and high school levels, working in Connecticut, Missouri and Massachusetts. William taught at the Suffield Academy, Suffield CT, The Thomas Jefferson School in Sappington, MO, Phillips Academy, Andover MA, and the Pike school Andover MA.
 He also supervised and coached many youth activities, including theatre, Boy Scouts, sailing and youth soccer.
William himself was an avid soccer player from high school on and loved sailing. He was a world traveler and enjoyed traveling with groups, friends, work and family.
In 1949 he built his home on the Vineyard, where he summered during his career and eventually retired until moving to Florida in October 2000. During his later years he served as harbor master at Harthaven Harbor. He was past member of the conservation commission of Oak Bluffs.
He also facilitated and assisted in establishing a system of walking trails throughout the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts.
Throughout his life on the Vineyard he carried on his mother's tradition of serving rich and beautiful waffles on Sunday mornings - it was a standing, open invitation to all his family and friends. The tradition is still being carried on today. He was his own free spirit. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Mary Stevens, on Jan. 25, 2003.
 William Henry Yale Stevens, formerly of Oak Bluffs, died Thursday, June 22, 2006 at his home in Dunnellon, Fla., under the loving care of his family and Hospice of Citrus County. He was 87.
At the time of his death, he was survived by four sons, William H.Y. Stevens Jr. of Front Royal, Va., Robert J. Stevens of Auburndale, Johnathan P. Stevens of Seattle, Wash., and Peter D. Stevens of Methuen; two daughters, Marylyn M. Stevens-Bugbee of Crystal River, Fla., and Sharon R. Stevens Grunden of Oak Bluffs; a sister, Margaret Sharpe Clark of Andover, and 12 grandchildren.
He was buried at sea out of sight of land off Martha's Vineyard, MA,
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