Eleanor Wiatt Stevens, 95, a lifelong Peninsula resident, died Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at The Pearl at Watkins Centre, Midlothian, Virginia.

Affectionately known as "Nana," Ms. Stevens, the daughter of Oliff Meredith and Ellen Booth Wiatt Stevens, was born on January 30, 1925. She enjoyed studying Latin and geometry, and was Salutatorian of Morrison High School (Warwick High School) Class of 1942. For eight years, she worked at the Noland Company in Newport News, which was a rewarding experience. She was a longtime member of Hilton Baptist Church in Newport News, and served as a nursery school teacher there for 50 years. She was always blessed by her minister, Lynwood Wells, her dear friends Pat Painter and Betty Powell, and the rest of her beloved church family and friends. She ran an in-home daycare for many years, and many of the children she cared for remember her fondly to this day. Her family was very precious to her. Remarkably, she had tremendous recall of family birthdays, the list of American Presidents, Vice-Presidents, and First Ladies, state capitals and more. She read, kept up with the news and prayed often. Nana had a delightful and contagious laugh and was a ray of sunshine to all who knew her.
Ms. Stevens was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Mary Oliff Stevens Ponzo Schneider and Virginia Stevens Myers Yurkewich as well as a great-nephew, Christopher Wiatt Myers.
Survivors include her two nephews: Robert Amory Myers, Jr. of Alfred, NY, and Steven Lloyd Myers of Freeman; one niece: Angela Brown of Richmond; nine grand-nieces and nephews: Blythe Myers of Falls Church; Rob Myers of Atlanta, GA; Holly Myers of Newark, DE; Lark Myers of San Dimas, CA; Andrew Myers of Massanutten; Robert Chester of Brooklyn, New York; Cary Chester of San Francisco, CA; Piper Chester of San Francisco, CA; and Maury Briscoe Brown of Chesterfield and numerous great-grand-nieces and nephews: Jackson, Katie, Sam, Henry, Eleanor "Ellie" and Simon Myers, all of Massanutten; Virginia and Adeline Greene of Falls Church, Rowen Eleanor and Harriet Jack Myers of Atlanta, GA, Masyn Brown of Chesterfield and Adam Steven of Newark, DE. and Beau, Teddy and Stella.

Ms. Stevens was a blessing to many over a long life which she lived to its fullest to the end. Nana will be greatly missed by her church family, relatives and many dear friends and neighbors. We are eternally grateful for their kindness and help to her, especially Pat and Larry Painter, the Aadahls and Mel Peck.
A graveside service will take place at Peninsula Memorial Park, Newport News, VA at 3 pm, Saturday, October 24, 2020. Please use the Nettles Drive entrance. Due to COVID-19, mask will be required as well as social distancing. Please leave online condolences at www.wjsmithandson.com

Memorial donations may be made to the Hilton Baptist Church Sonshine Kids, 101 Main St. Newport News, Va. 23601.

Arrangements made by W. J. Smith & Son Funeral Home.