Ross (“Buddy”) Stevens was born in Petrolia on March 21, 1927, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Stevens, of 407 London Road, Sarnia. The Stevens family would move to Sarnia around 1936. His grandmother was Mrs. Edward Shannon of Petrolia. He had one sister who, at the time of his death, was Mrs. S. Round of Sarnia. Ross attended Central School in Petrolia and Johnston Memorial School in Sarnia. Ross joined the Canadian Merchant Navy on his 16th birthday, becoming a member of the crew of the Imperial Oil tanker SS Sunset Park, with the rank of Oiler. He later obtained the rank of 4th Engineer. The Sunset Park was built by Foundation Maritime Limited in Pictou, Nova Scotia, completed November 24, 1944, a modified Scandinavian-class cargo ship of 2894 tonnes. After the war, it would become Siderurgica Cinco and was scrapped in 1965.
Ross Stevens had been home on furlough the Christmas before his death in December of 1944. Three months later, in March of 1945, he was critically injured in a storm while at sea on board the Imperial Oil tanker SS Sunset Park. On March 20, 1945, Merchant Marine Ross Stevens would lose his life in St. Michael’s Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados, British West Indies. He died one day before his eighteenth birthday. On March 21st 1945, parents Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Stevens in Sarnia would receive word that their son, Ross Stevens, who would have turned 18 that day, had died in the Barbados, British West Indies while serving with the Imperial Oil marine department. In late April of 1945, the Rev. J.F. Anderson of St. Paul’s United Church, Sarnia conducted a memorial service in memory of Ross Edward Stevens. Eighteen-year old Ross Stevens is buried in the Barbados and Ross’ name is also inscribed on the Petrolia cenotaph in the Town of Petrolia.
SOURCES: A, B, D, E, N, Q, X, Y, k