Charles M Stevenson, 95 peacefully passed away on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at the Sidney Health Center in Sidney, MT surrounded by family.

Charles (Mike) Maxwell Stevenson of Sidney, Montana died on June 4, 2026, at Sidney Health Center surrounded by family. Mike was born March 25, 1931 in Williston, North, Dakota to Neil and Clara (Elkins) Stevenson. He was a little bow-legged cowboy, born to ride and ride he did. Growing up along the Little Missouri River, near Hay Draw, North Dakota, hunting, fishing and going to country school, he gained mechanical and scientific knowledge from his older brothers, John and Sonny. He had a pet crow. He graduated from eighth grade at age 12, and went to work for rancher, Ernie Leland, getting his drivers license at age 13, and always talked of hunting coyotes with Ernie in his ’48 Packard. Later in life, he would restore a '48 Packard of his own. With his wages he was able to buy a car. He claimed he always had money before he bought that car. When he was 15 he moved to Williston, got an apartment above the pool hall and worked for the Crighton Garage. (He once commented at age 92 that he had been working for 80 years!) One day while working on a ’37 Oldsmobile he dented the fender. He later restored a ’37 Oldsmobile of his own. He moved back to the Hay Draw area, cowboying and farming for various ranches. He developed lifelong friendships with neighboring families; the Indergards, Lelands and Crightons. He and his brother John helped build the Sather Dam road one winter, living in a trailer where the water froze every night. They hauled rock for the road in Indergard’s Diamond T truck. Later in life he would restore a 1940 Diamond T pickup. During this time he bought a ’47 Studebaker truck and hauled hay for ranchers, some as far away as Jordan, MT. With his trucking money he and brother John bought a small herd of cattle. He was setting his path to be a rancher.

Then duty called. Drafted into the Army in1952, he served and was wounded in the Korean War. He was awarded a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars. After recuperating in the VA hospital in Denver, he met the love of his life, Patricia (Patsy) Ryan, a spunky Irish lass who had come to America with her sister for an adventure. He was known as Steve to his army buddies and that is what Pat and her family called him. Following his conversion to Catholicism, they married in June 1954, and headed to Chicago where he attended electronics school and reconnected with friends from back home, Sant and Joann Obergfell. A year later, along came Mike and Pat’s first child, then following graduation Mike turned down a job with IBM because it was in New York. The family headed back to the Denver area, settled in Arvada, Colorado and had five more children to complete their family. They lived on a small acreage with horses, chickens and lots of other animals.

In the mid-60’s he sold his 1933 Buick to venture into the bank equipment business. It thrived under his guidance but he always made time for his faith and family and friends. Besides his business, there was always a car restoration in progress and home remodeling project. He could build anything and fix anything, mechanical or otherwise.

Mike enjoyed traveling with Pat for business-related conventions or to visit her family in England. He never said a negative word about anyone and literally remembered every person he ever had any dealings with. He was warm and welcoming and enjoyed a good party, a good stout beer and win or lose - the Denver Broncos. He and brother George provided musical entertainment at the family reunions. He enjoyed all types of music and played several instruments. He loved horse racing, parades, trains, practical joke and riddles. If it was April Fool’s Day, there was salt in the sugar bowl and sugar in the salt shaker.

With his quiet strength, he was a great father and grandfather; he lived his faith - kind, patient, ever guiding and sharing his knowledge. Upon retiring he and Pat moved back to Sidney, MT where he continued to work, seasonally hauling beets, repairing and restoring cars and relishing life in general. Mike enjoyed staying in touch with his many cousins and loved his role as Uncle to all his nieces and nephews.

He is survived by his children; Patricia (Charles Wyman) Stevenson, Rita Stevenson, Larry Stevenson, Susan Stevenson, Michael (Susan Fouts) Stevenson, his grandchildren; Terra Augustine, Brittany (Bronson Nadler) Augustine, Erica Ellis, Michael Ellis, Matthew Ellis, Benjamin Velasquez, his great grandchildren; Chloe Ellis, Ella Toombs, Noah Toombs, Trinity Jackson, Olive Nadler, great-great grandson, Jaxon Moore, his brother, George Stevenson, cousins and many nieces and nephews both here and in England.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Pat, for whom he cared the last several years of her life as her memory faded, his parents, Neil and Clara Stevenson, brothers, Neil Dwight (Sonny) Stevenson, Theodore John Stevenson, John’s wife Margaret Ryan Stevenson, sister to Pat, sisters Clara Rosalie Nelson, Norma Margarite Roccio and Marjorie Ellen Stevenson.

Although we will miss our Dad, (Bonka (Grandpa), Uncle Steve, Uncle Mike) so very much because he was still a big part of our daily lives, we are comforted to know that he has been welcomed into the arms of Jesus and is reunited with Patsy, his large family and many dear friends. We thank the caring staff of Sidney Health Center for their compassion during his stay there.

Thank You