Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Howie, I just got back from Moutain Madness. It was not the same without you. As you know, it has been a while since I last made a M.M. I regret that so much. It was a rather tame time this year. We did the usual things that are done but it just was really not the same. The man who always wears shorts, no matter how cold, was not there.

I created a first this year. I was the first person to be rushed to a hospital from the campsite in M.M. history! I twisted my knee pretty bad but hey, I was not going to let that keep me down. I had to be there to witness the ceremony we held in your honor.

I really really miss you Howie. Not a day goes by that you are not thought of. I remember everything you taught me as I was growing from that young Reserve Officer to the Detective that I have become. I remember "breaking in" the new Sergeant when you and I were shift partners. Sgt. Black had his hands full with us but I think we did a good job with him.

You never realize what good friends you have until one of them is gone. It is hard for us to express our true feelings for one another. I know that I had an amazing friend in you just as I know I have amazing friends left here on earth. Most of them were with me there this weekend at Moutain Madness. You see, I got hurt on the first day of M.M. I did not want to be a burden on the others and was going to just come home, even though I really wanted to be there for your ceremony. Every single person at camp told me to stay and they would take care of me. Every single person did just that. Today, I went up to each of them and thanked them. They each reminded me that ours is more then mere friendship. Ours is a brotherhood. If one falls, the rest shall pick him up and help him carry on. That is what they did for me this past weekend and it is what we all are doing for you. You are gone but we all carry on for you. Rest well my brother.

Det. Greg Yotsuya
Ceres Police Department

June 13, 2005

Howie, Micky played great today! I know you were there because I saw you everywhere in the ballpark. I saw you in everyone of the happy faces, I saw you in every blade of green grass that covered the ball fields, I heard you in the laughter of all the young chidren. I felt you as we all were yelling and cheering the girls on. Many of our friends ask how we are doing. I tell them we are doing fine and that we miss you more than words could express. They understand... They miss you too. We are truely doing better than we would have ever thought. You know why...GOD of course.

love you, solemate

wife of Howard
CPD

June 5, 2005

Sgt. Stevenson,
Rest Easy my Brother. You have served with Honor.
Mrs. Stevenson,
I'm sure the bases will be loaded when Micky hits that Homerun and Howie will be making sure she touches all the bases. God bless you and your Family.

Police Officer
Newark NJ P.D.

June 4, 2005

Well Howie its been almost 5 months since that night and not a night goes by that I don"t think about you. I'll always remember the great times we had camping and hunting. I'll also always remember you as a a great officer, husband, father, and friend. You were probably one of the most quiet persons I know but you could say a whole lot without uttering a word. God bless you and your family. Your friend Sam.

Officer Sam Ryno
Ceres PD

June 3, 2005

Howie, it has been almost 5 months...well we are still missing you every second of the day!!! I found out that I could look up other HEROS like you. I am even more sad, I prayed that you would be the last!!!! I wish I knew how to give some kind of comfort to the other families....I am sure you are in Heaven and know I will see you when my work is done.....I'll be 110 yrs old with my luck, you know I would rather be hanging out than doing work. HA HA See I can still laugh alittle. Everyone seems to be doing good. You would be proud of everyone at CPD. They have been working hard and cleaning up the streets. I see the patrol cars everyday. Sometimes I can even see you driving. I pray for their safty always and know that God hears me!!! He knows We have lost to much already, yet helped us gained some how a strenght we never knew was there. You would be proud!!! I know He is ....til I see you again, love you my soulmate XOXO
PS:Micky said she will hit a homerun just for you.

wife of Howard
CPD

June 3, 2005

My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Sgt. Stevenson on their tremendous loss. My son, Officer Larry Lasater, was recently killed in the line of duty in Pittsburg and I have been touched by the reflections posted for him by the Ceres law enforcement community. I stopped by the Ceres Police Department last Friday to pay my respects to all those who cared for Sgt. Stevenson, and to also thank them for remembering my son. I was honored to be given a memorial pin for Sgt. Stevenson and wear it with pride along with two pins commemorating my son. I pray that God gives us all strength to live life without our loved ones and that we honor their memory by the way we live our lives. I am glad that Sgt. Stevenson has already had some justice for his vicious murder. I will remember his family in my prayers.

Phyllis Loya, mother of Officer Larry Lasater

Phyllis Loya
mother of fallen officer

June 1, 2005

Dear family and friends of Sgt. Stevenson,
I want to express my condolences for your tragic loss. It was 20 yrs ago when my brother Off. Robert White was electrocuted on 1/27/85 in San Jose. He was 25yrs old and he was looking forward to his new home, K9 about to begin training and the happiest time of his life. Your family is in our prayers and I hope you can find the strength to keep his memory alive. It helps each yr. during the ceremonies of Police Week to honor officers and their families even after 20 yrs since Bob passed away.
Take care and I am deeply sorry for your loss.
Sincerely,
Kathy O.

katherine o'carroll

May 21, 2005

I carry you with me everywhere I go, tucked away in my heart where you will be forever safe and forever young. I love you.

May 19, 2005

Howie,

I miss you so much. You were such a great friend and I will never forget all the good times we shared from the times at work, motorcycle rides, to the bbq's and the dancing. You were the best dancing partner. But Kathy and Micky are still dancing strong with Kalani and I. It has been hard these past few celebrations not having you there, but we are sticking together. And though we will NEVER forget, we are moving on one day at a time. I know Kathy and the kids miss you so very much too, but we are there for them as I know you would be there for me and my kids if anything ever happened to Greg. Thinking of you always and forever!

Shawnna, Dispatcher
CPD

April 26, 2005

Howie, I never really got to know you that well, although we met on more than one occasion. My mom used to work for your dad, and i vaguely remember when we had parties at your parents' house. I was young, but i always told my parents what a nice person you were. I was deeply saddened when my mom told me that you had be killed! I have really been considering becoming a cop, but the thought of risking my life every single day just hasn't really settled with me though. I have read through every one of the reflections posted to/for you, and now i'm realized just how important it is to have great cops. I am only inspired by your strength and courage and I can only hope that one day I can be half as good a police officer as you were. Your family and friends are in my heart and prayers daily. Keep those streets in Heaven clean Howie. God Bless You!

Amanda Speck

April 25, 2005

Mi querido hermano, que la gloria de Dios te tenga en su recinto, se que descansas junto al señor porque se de tu excelente calidad de persona y amigo, lamento no haberte visto nunca mas, sin embargo, siempre estaras en mi corazon como mi "American Borother".
Sergio.

Sergio Faz Cantu
Howard best high school friend

April 21, 2005

The easiest way for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing!

Josephine County Sheriffs Office

April 16, 2005

Howie,
I never had the pleasure to meet you,you are family and lived so close and we never knew, but now I feel like I know you thru your family and friends, I keep your picture at home and at work to help me remember to pray for your family every day. Thank you for being willing to pay the ultimate sacrafice for people you don't know, just like JESUS. I will miss you, but I know your safe in GODS house.

Stephanie Pino

April 11, 2005

Sgt. Stevenson,

I just happen to be in my depts. dispatch center on that fateful night. One of our officers lives in Ceres and listens to the Stan County SO on the scanner in his patrol car. He was the one that told the rest of us what was going on. For most of the shift we all sat in the dispatch center listening, and trying to get more details.

I also remember who much we all want to drive the short 25 miles to Ceres and assist in the manhunt for your murderer.

On the day of your funeral I knew you had to be impressed of the amount of officers that showed up to say good-bye to a man most of us had never met.

I pray that your family is doing well with out you and I am sure that they are oh so proud.

Rest in peace brother

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:9

Atwater Police

April 5, 2005

God Bless Sergeant Stevenson,his families and the Ceres Police Department!You will be missed by ALL and forgotten by NONE!My Thoughts and Prayers are with Sergeant Stevenson,His families,and this Department!Thank you Brother for Service well done,Rest In Peace now as the rest of your Law Enforcement Brothers and Sisters will continue the fight on the Streets for You as You Patrol the streets of Heaven until we see you again !

Deputy Sheriff
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office , Louisville Kentucky

April 1, 2005

Sweetheart, I miss you in the morning & in the minutes between til I go to bed. When I finally fall asleep I hope to see you in my dreams. I am trying very hard to be tough. I think about how you would want me to handle you being gone and then I muster up the courage to take another breath and continue my journey. I am so glad we had 20 years together. You always made me feel loved and secure. I am counting the days til we meet in heaven. I know GOD has you busy so I will let you enjoy Heaven. love you with everything in my sole.... Me,Your proud wife

Wife of Sgt. Stevenson, Kathy

March 30, 2005

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:9

March 30, 2005

Happy Easter!!!!

March 27, 2005

HAPPY EASTER HOWARD

March 27, 2005

Dear Howard:

When you were in the world, I was never afraid. I knew you were always there for me, always going to protect me. Now that you are gone, fear consumes me. How do we go on without you? You were everything to us, the best of us. I think about you every moment. I can't look in your eyes anymore, but I see you in the trees, the wind, each blade of grass, each mountain vista. You are beyond us now and yet you will never leave us. I love you more than I can ever express.

March 25, 2005

I watched you grow into an outstanding Police Officer. The world will be a lesser place without you! Rest in peace my brother..

Jerry Gatlin
Ceres pd Retired

March 23, 2005

hi uncle howie! i have written to you a couple of times in here and i just like being able to write to you! You have been in the newspaper a couple few times this month and it makes me sad but i like that you are still being honored. I think about you always and it makes me sad..i can not imagine how aunty and the kids feel. Even though they are sad they are going VERY good i believe. We all really miss you though. A couple weekends ago mick came over! i love her we have so much fun together. We had yummy mexican food! She is so funny. We are going to be seeing them tonight..we go there quite a bit now. They are going to have a memorial for you it is along a creek i believe and since you LOVED the outdoors they are dedicating it to you for your hard work. Its going to be very nice. I doubt this will be the last time i write in this because i just like being able to go to this and tell you things. I just want you to know we are always here for aunty kathy and the kids. I love you so much. xoxo.
love always,
Sov

neice,sovauhna ferguson

March 19, 2005

Howie, It has been a little over 2 months since God called you for duty in Heaven. We are all taking things a day at a time, and getting back to the job we all need to do.
I found out the awful news about you and Sam being shot, and the heart-breaking news that you were dead from my husband. He knew what that news would mean for me, as my "family" at CPD was always important to me, even after we moved north. Even though "Mom" was my nickname around the PD, I felt it was also my title, and I tried (and still try) to be there for all of you if you ever needed my help.
I was a still-green EMT when I first started working in Ceres, and had the good fortune to run a few calls with you. You impressed me with your great sense of humor, but also your professionalism and your quiet dignity. Those qualities never changed. You impacted so many of the officers from Ceres in so many ways. Each one of them will carry a little of you with them, from your sense of humor, your eye for detail, your guidance for those that will follow. How many of them were your trainees, and are now FTO's? They will pass on your lessons to their trainees.
You can be proud of Kathy and the kids. They are perhaps the strongest of us all. Kathy's statement of "They've taken Howard, they're not taking anything more from me", will ring forever in my ears. If I lose my CHP officer husband, I hope that I can keep that same resolve to get me and my family through.
Little did I know when I did all those ride-alongs, taking pictures, and getting to know everyone better, that some of those pictures would be used to share your life. When I opened the album to find pictures to send, I found a paper with your name and the numbers of pictures that you had wanted copies of. Those were the ones I sent.
Thank you Howie for all you did for us.

Thank you God, for giving us Howie.

Virginia Hansen, MICP
American Medical Response

March 17, 2005

Howie,

It has taken a while for your death to sink in with me. I remember hearing the news the morning after the incident and although I was 1400 miles away, I crumbled to my knees in tears. Howie, I still can't believe this has happened to you and your family. I left a reflection on this site a few months ago, but the only words I could muster were brother officer and hero. Howie, your are much more than a brother officer and a hero. You are a husband, father, brother, son, and uncle. You are a friend, mentor, roll model, and leader. You are so much to so many.

Howie, I have never expressed, publicly, how much I appreciated your friendship and your compassion towards me an my family during the loss of my brother, Jason, in 1991. You investigated this incident and shared in our pain. You took me under your wing and helped me through this difficult time. I will never forget our Bishop trip after this incident. We rode together and you talked with me and cried with me. I will never forget that.

I remember my days as an explorer. You were one of my favorites. I remember working with you as a new officer when you were a new corporal. What a blast that was! I loved to work for you. You were a stand up guy, and a man always knew where he stood with you.

Howie, your funeral was amazing! I have never seen such a sight. Everyone was there, all the guys from back in the day. It was good to see them and grieve with them.

Finally, Howard, I remember the last time I saw you. It was in July, just six months prior to your death. I am so glad that I was able to visit with you and Cathy at the gathering at the Legion Hall. We were there to celebrate the life of another friend, Tom Moore. The next day, I was visiting with a mutual friend and he told me that we'll never have friends like those we have from our days as Peace Officers. He said that no other friend would so willingly go into a deadly situation to save a friend in need. Howie, those words ring prophetic for me now. That is what you did on that fateful night. There could be no greater demonstration of love and friendship.

It seems as though we have lost so many: Howard Stevenson, Jared Puryear, Tom Moore, Kenneth Madewell, and John Chapman. It is hard, being so far away, to grieve for those who have impacted my life so much. But, my friends, be assured that I have never and will never forget you. I carry you in my heart every day. Howard, you are a part of me too, and you will live on with me until the day I meet you and other loved ones in the beyond. Rest in Peace my Brother.

Jeremy Gatlin, Ceres PD 1989-1997

Jeremy Gatlin, Ceres PD, Retired
Norman, Oklahoma

March 14, 2005

Howie,

Words can't express the sorrow we all feel. I wish I could have gotten to know you better during your time with us. Your brothers at CPD have nothing but great things to say about you and the way you did your job.

I was there the night we lost you and hope we did you right by our actions. Your funeral was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, you were truly honored as a hero. I wish there were more like you out there to back the rest of us up.

Rest in peace brother. You will never be forgotten.

Det MGR
SCSD

March 12, 2005