Bridge to Be Named after Long-Time Employee & City Council Member

A popular bridge in Ottumwa will be named after a long-time employee of the city and city council member.

On October 25, friends and family of Lew “Skip” Stevens will be conducting a memorial dedication ceremony at the north end of the Jefferson Street Viaduct to rename the bridge “Skip Stevens Memorial Bridge”. The event will begin at 5:30 PM and will include memorials from Mayor Rick Johnson, Marc Roe, Jerry Parker, and Kurt Stevens. The ceremony will conclude with a ribbon cutting ceremony, a memorial plaque unveiling, and a special lighting of the bridge in Skip’s honor. Members of the Stevens family will be present for the event.

Skip Stevens dedicated his life to the City of Ottumwa. He was an employee of the city from 1961 until his retirement as the Public Works Superintendent in 2006. Stevens served on the Ottumwa City Council from 2014 until 2021. Skip was a strong advocate for the lighting of the Jefferson St. Viaduct. Skip Stevens passed away on March 7, 2023, at the age of 81. The Ottumwa City Council voted unanimously in July of 2023 to approve the dedication of the bridge.