Naia Lois Stevens

NAIA LOIS RUDD STEVENS was born on February 7, 1930, in Los Angeles, CA. She went home to be with the Lord on April 14, 2018, in Vancouver, WA. She was the daughter of James and Lois Rudd. Naia had five brothers: Kenneth Clark, Quentin Clark, James Rudd, Jr., Chris Rudd and William Pater. She also had one sister, Myra Rudd

Naia married Robert Curtis Stevens, also a native of Los Angeles, on December10, 1949. In the early fifties, Naia and Bob welcomed three children: Robert Henry “Hank,” John Clinton, and Shari LoAnn. Bob and Naia relocated and raised their family in California’s South Coast, in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.

Naia strived to pass on her rich oral history and ethnic heritage with her family.

Besides being a U.S. citizen with Norwegian, Native American and Scottish roots, she was a registered member of the sovereign Osage and Cherokee nations.

Naia’s family, and anyone she would encounter, recognized her as a woman of faith. This faith continued to be transformative in her, her children’s, and her friends’ lives. She felt her greatest education was sustained through her life (and her family’s lives) in Bible reading and study, and an earnest ongoing practice of prayer and fellowship.

Through the 1950’s and mid 60’s First Baptist Church and Harbor Trinity Baptist Church in Costa Mesa, CA, became her faith communities. She and Bob were part of a small gathering of founding families who established Mariners Church in 1965 in Newport Beach. After relocating to Washington in 1975, they attended Crossroads Community Church. Upon returning to the Northwest in 2016 after another 32-year stretch of time in California, they attended Glenwood Community Church in Vancouver, WA.

Naia was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother. That devotion was experienced from generation to generation. Passing on life lessons and traditions to her family was in her genes. She self -published two autobiographical narratives in an effort to ensure her family would know their legacy and history.

Her other interests included traveling, reading, movies, music, modeling, and painting. With each of these there was always the common thread of family and friends. Whether it was travelling to be with family or modeling with her daughter, her focus was on others. Her paintings all have a backstory. She also loved to laugh especially when engaged in a “pun war.”

Naia is survived by: her husband, Bob, her sons Hank (Fawn) and John (Diane), and her daughter, Shari (David); eleven grandchildren; twenty-six great grandchildren; and two great great grandchildren. Her parents and five siblings preceded her in death.

The kindness, insight, wisdom and love by which she lived will endure.

Naia’s biblical faith, guidance and motivation will continue in the lives of her loved ones. Her life modeled a good and trustworthy way of living and dying in the grace, glory and presence of our almighty and loving God through our Lord Jesus Christ.