Doylestown official known for sports work

William Harris Stevens III, 70, a former Doylestown councilman, banker, and respected sports official, died Sunday, Dec. 30, of pancreatic cancer at Abington Hospice at Warminster.

Mr. Stevens, a Doylestown Borough resident for 34 years, was an elected councilman from 1990 to 2001. During that time, he chaired the council's financial committee.

Mr. Stevens was appointed to the council in 2010 to fill the unexpired term of John Buckman, a fellow Republican who died that year. In 2011, Mr. Stevens lost a bid for reelection to Kevin Kelly, a Democrat.

During his first years in office, the board was wholly Republican, during his second, almost all Democratic.

"He was able as a single Republican on an all- Democratic board to have a tremendous impact," said Borough Manager John Davis, who is also Mr. Stevens' son-in-law. "He looked at issues as issues, and determined what the best course was; he didn't look at it from a partisan perspective."

But "Bill," as he was called, was best known for his work as a sports official, instructor, and administrator for the officials who referee collegiate and other amateur levels of volleyball, softball, and baseball.

"He assigned referees in the various leagues to the games," said his wife, the former Jean Louise Haack. "He saw to it that they got paid. He refereed, too, but he wouldn't referee in the leagues where he assigned."

Until his death, he worked for the Atlantic 10 Conference, Patriot League, Ivy League, East Coast Volleyball, and other organizations.

Patriot League executive director Carolyn Schlie Femovich said Mr. Stevens "was a highly respected volleyball official and assignor, and provided a high level of officiating for Patriot League volleyball programs for many years."

Born and raised in Germantown and Chestnut Hill, he graduated from Chestnut Hill Academy.

A 1965 graduate of Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener University), in Chester, he joined the Army's Military Police Corps, serving in Georgia, Washington, and the Ryukyu Islands during the Vietnam War. He attained the rank of captain.

After a two-year stint in a family elevator business, he was a commercial banker in the Philadelphia area for 30 years. He retired in 2006 to work at home as an administrator of sports officials.

"He loved it," said his wife. "He traveled a lot."

Mr. Stevens served the Keystone Region of USA Volleyball as its chairman of officials for more then 20 years. His personal volleyball officiating career included two National Referee ratings and countless collegiate conference and NCAA championship matches.

"He was fair and knowledgeable," his wife said. "If [players or coaches] came to him for a decision, he knew the rules and would try to fairly interpret them."

USA Volleyball honored him in 2006 with the prestigious George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award. He also received the Glen G. Davies Referee Service Award.

He played an integral role in evaluating and certifying referees for USA Volleyball from 1988 to 2000, and helped forge an agreement between the Canadian Federation and USA Volleyball that allows referees to work in both countries.

Mr. Stevens was a baseball umpire for 2,000 collegiate, high school, youth, and adult games, and was president of the Lower Montco and Bux Mont American Legion Leagues starting in the 1970s.

Softball was another passion; he played in numerous modified-pitch leagues, including the Doylestown Over 35 League, and the Montgomery County Senior Softball League.

"He enjoyed the camaraderie," his wife said. He also loved jazz and following the Phillies.

He was a member of Doylestown's American Legion (Albert Atkinson) Post No. 210, and the Guardians of the National Cemetery. In addition to his wife of 47 years, he is survived by a son, Timothy Harris; daughters Julia Longstreet Davis and Jessica Joan Darling; two sisters; five grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

A visitation from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. will be followed by an 11 a.m. funeral Monday, Jan. 7, at Doylestown Presbyterian Church, 127 E. Court St., Doylestown. Interment is at 1 p.m. in Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown.

Donations may be sent to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2004 Sproul Rd., Suite 108, Broomall, Pa. 19008.