Biography: Ira Stevens, Sr. was born on October 22, 1930 in Harlem, NY to the late Patrick Stevens and Maude Julian. Ira had three sisters and five brothers. Ira, affectionately known as "Steve", was educated in the New York City Public School System.
 
After High School he had various jobs. He was a butcher's apprentice for many years until entrepreneurship led him to become the owner of his mentor's butcher's shop which Ira renamed "Steve's Meat Market". Later in life Ira become a Food Service Supervisor for Amtrak where he would work for many years until his retirement.
 
Ira met Lorraine Smith, they were married in the early 1950's. They had four children, Ira Jr., Douglas, Eloise and Lisa. Life went on and Ira eventually was remarried to Myrtis Randall in September 1987. Together they had one daughter, Trina.
 
Traveling, fishing and photography was his passion. Ira would travel the world with his siblings, nephews and nieces. He and Myrtis loved to cruise and saw many parts of the world doing so. Ira could often be found behind a camera lens constantly taking photographs. He maintained a library of pictures of his family, friends and life travels. Ira was very active in his community where he served as a volunteer for the Post 911 Program, the Henry Street Settlement initiative and the lead volunteer for Masaryk Cooperators' Advocacy Project.
 
On Tuesday, December 31, 2019, Ira was called home at the Mary Manning Walsh Nursing Home in New York. Ira leaves to cherish his memories: his brother Earl; his sons: Ira Jr. and Douglas; his daughters: Lisa, Trina and Christine; step children; Shirley, Mack, Cynthia, Maxine and Jackie, and a host of grand children, great grand children, great-great grand children, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
 
He was preceded in death by his first wife Lorraine and daughter Eloise; brothers: James, Ralph and John; and sisters: Mary, Gloria and Audrey.
 
As Ira Sr. would say "Take it easy but make sure you take it".