Christine (Donovan) Stevens

SOUTH PORTLAND – It is with the greatest sadness that the Stevens family must announce the passing of Christine (Donovan) Stevens, 58, of South Portland, on Jan. 21, 2025.

In keeping with her fierce and indomitable spirit, she fought bravely until the very end, passing peacefully with her immediate family around her.

Christine was born Jan. 6, 1967, in Bangor, Maine, to Michael and Rebecca Donovan. She graduated from Brewer High School, then went on to receive her degree in Criminology from the University of Maine.

Thereafter, the greatest adventures of her life began when she married her soulmate and best friend, Jon Stevens, on Jan. 31, 1999. She found her joy and purpose in life with the family they created together. If asked, Christine would most likely want to be remembered, simply, as a loving mother. And that, she was.

Christine devoted her life to ensuring the happiness and well-being of her boys, Sullivan and Griffin Stevens. Her most cherished memories were of their family time together, including their many camping trips, karate tournaments, and traveling, but also found in the contentment and peace in their quiet family moments. Throughout the years, they loved and enjoyed their constant menagerie of dogs, cats, rats, chickens, reptiles, and fish that brought them all great joy, laughter, and occasionally, pure chaos.

Christine felt immense satisfaction and pride to be able to guide her children and watch them flourish into kind, respectful, compassionate young men. She was overjoyed to welcome a daughter into the family when Morgan Peppe married Sullivan Stevens. She was excited to see them embark on their new life together and showed off photos of their cats as happily as if they were her grandchildren. She passed on her tender heart to her son Griffin as well, thoroughly enjoying and relating his daily stories of his work with animals.

Christine’s greatest regret was to know that she wouldn’t be here to help guide her children through the joys and tribulations of their futures, though she took with her the comfort of knowing she gave them everything they needed to live fulfilled and appreciative lives.

Her legacy of love will live on, not only through her children, but also through her conservancy of nature, stewardship of the earth, her guardianship of animals, and her spirit of humanitarianism. Her selfless and caring nature expressed itself in her love and protection of all living things and the natural world around her.

Christine appreciated every leaf, flower, bird, butterfly, caterpillar, chipmunk, and pollinator that lived in the beautiful backyard oasis she created and meticulously maintained for their survival and benefit.

Christine also held a very special place in her heart and life for dogs, not only her own, but in her dedication her to animal welfare. She volunteered for many years and went to great lengths to ensure that each and every dog found the ‘perfect’ home. She celebrated every adoption, always stayed in touch, and in later years, mourned every loss. Her heart for animals was limitless.

Christine was also the purest and truest of friends. She actively nurtured many close, lifelong friendships with her cousins, coworkers, fellow volunteers, and many of her adopters. Her friendship was an incredibly special one. She genuinely cared and remembered every minute or silly detail of her friends’ lives. Her kindness, strength, generosity, and great sense of humor will be deeply missed.

One of the constants in her life was her great love of books and the classics. She was always reading and shared this love with her family and friends. She had a particular fondness for JRR Tolkien. It is, therefore, fitting that his words should describe her best:

’As the light upon the leaves of trees, as the voice of clear waters, as the stars above the mists of the world, such was her glory, and her loveliness; and in her face was a shining light.’

Christine is survived by her husband, Jon Stevens of South Portland, her son and daughter-in-law, Sullivan and Morgan Stevens of Lewiston, her son, Griffin Stevens of South Portland, her mother, Rebecca (Clifford) Donovan of Brewer, her father, Michael and his wife Alice Donovan of Brewer, her parents-in-law, Robert and Sue Stevens of Fort Myers, Fla., her faithful and devoted dog, Tango, her cats, Lucy and Butters; along with her many, many other family members and friends, too numerous to list, however, she loved and appreciated them all.

A Celebration of life will be set at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, Christine asked folks to support a

local animal rescue