Stephen Avery Stutts
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Stephen Avery Stutts on August 25, 2023. He was born on March 29, 1948 in Houston, Texas. Raised from a young age his family moved to Lakeland, Florida where Steve lived. He played baseball and basketball at Lakeland High School.
Steve earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Stetson University. He was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, played sports within the university, and worked as a campus security officer. He also met his first wife, Fielding Hight, while at college. They moved to Rome and were married for 45 years until her death.
Steve was President of Simpson Grocery Company in Rome, Georgia until the company was sold in 2007. He looked after the many employees of the company and the Anheuser-Busch Company in St. Louis. He was elected President of the Georgia Beer Wholesalers Association (GBWA) and was a member of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA). Steve owned Stellar Wines which is now managed by Chris Forino, a trusted friend.
A compassionate and humorous man, he touched the lives of everyone who knew him. Steve was an active member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Rome, where he served in the sacristy and was superintendent and acolyte. As a board member of the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust, he was also passionate about land conservation and management. He has also served on the boards of the Chieftains Museum, the Exchange Club and the United Community Bank of Rome.
Steve loved sports and animals, especially his two Maine Coon cats, Whiskey and Black Kitty, and his many bird dogs and choppers. He loved to travel and spend time with his family and friends. Steve’s passions were playing basketball, hunting and fishing. He went on numerous hunting trips with his friends from Rome, Dr. Darrell, Dr. George, Harry J., Terry C. and his brother-in-law David. He traveled five times to meet with Dr. Darrell or the late Dr. Paul Ferguson to fish to New Zealand. With his cousin, the late Dr. Terry Calhoun, he made frequent hunting trips to Kansas. He grew up with Dan (Cactus) Hightower from Lakeland, Florida and they maintained a lifelong friendship. They hunted, fished, caught alligators, and generally had more fun than the law allowed. Steve loved visiting Florida and stayed with Dan and Mary Shelton Hightower in Ocala, with Ann and Mike Matheson in Mt. Dora, or just strolled the beach at Ponte Vedra.
Steve is already deceased by his parents Avery Lee and Elsie Kathryn Calhoun Stutts. He is survived by his wife Jean Loveday Stutts and his only sibling, brother Charles (Charlie) L. Stutts and wife Danielle of Tampa, their son Colin (Jen) and their three children Avery, Rory and Ethel of Tampa, and Charlie’s other son is Wyatt (Melanie) from Chattanooga, TN. Steve is also survived by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law S. David Smith Jr. and Nancy Loveday Smith of Rome and their children Stephen Smith (Keri) and their children Slade and Phen of Rome Ginny Smith Parrino (Warren) and their children Genevieve, Mitchell, Carter and Jackson of Mableton, GA. Steve loved all of his ten cousins, especially Nancy Krenkel (Andy) from Tuscaloosa and Dr. Travis Calhoun (Carol) from Kentucky.
A service will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on Thursday, August 31 at 2:00 p.m. to celebrate his life and bid farewell to a remarkable and loving man.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that memorials be erected for: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church at 101 East 4th Avenue, Rome, GA 30161, or The Georgia-Alabama Land Trust at 226 Ladiga Road, Piedmont, AL 36272, or Animal Rescue Foundation of Rome, PO Box 682, Rome, GA 30162.
Special thanks to Tapestry Hospice Care of Calhoun, Home Instead caregivers, staff at The Spiers at Berry College, and EMTs at Advent Redmond and Atrium Floyd Hospital. A special thanks to Rhonda Upshaw for all her dedication and support and to his kind and patient doctors Dr. Raul Gonzalez, Dr. George Goldin, Dr. Barritt Gilbert, Dr. Andy Anderson and Dr. Darrell Lowrey.
Henderson & Sons Funeral Home, North Chapel is responsible for the organization.
