John Stevens joined the Committee of the Society in 1962, became Vice-President the following year, our thirty-fourth President in 1964, completing his duties on the Committee in an ex-oficio capacity in 1965. By many standards, his period on the Committee could be considered short, but the dates do not tell the true story of John's service to the St Andrew Society and, indeed, many other entities in the community.

During the almost 30 years that he spent in Brazil, this Kilmarnock born Scot has, time and again, proved to be a most generous, talented and willing helper of the English-speaking community in general and the St Andrew Society in particular. It is doubtful that any request for help of any kind, whether for his professional expertise as a photographer, electronic engineer or musician, has ever been refused by this most gentle, talented, and friendly of Scots.

He is a highly skilled scientist, having headed up the Linhas (now Coats Corrente) dye works and wet processing plant one of the most important and complex In Brazil, until his retiral two years ago.

John is married to Nan, another constant supporter of Society functions and aims, has no children, but so many interests from ham radio to his racy Karmann-Ghia - and so many friends in both the Brazilian and British Communities that he is forever occupied.

Accorded Honorary Membership of the Society, a distinction no one merited more, John Stevens could only be described as a man with friends galore and no enemies.

John retired in 1976, since when he and Nan have popped back and forth from São Paulo to Largs and, still haven’t made up their mind which “hame's best”.