Obituaries : Ron Stever; USC Philanthropist

Ron Stever, a tireless promoter, philanthropist and alumni fund-raiser for USC, has died at 88.

Stever died Friday at his home in Pasadena, the university announced.

Chairman of the Pasadena-based Stever, Klove & Bradway insurance firm, Stever was a lifetime general agent for the Equitable Life Assurance Society. He had earned the John Newton Russell Memorial Award, the highest award given to a member of the life insurance industry.

Stever served on more than 50 boards of business, educational and charitable organizations and was president of more than 30 of them.

He graduated in 1926 from the USC School of Commerce and was president of his senior class. After graduation, he rose to president of the General Alumni Assn. and became president and director of the GAA Half Century Club, chairman of the Andrus Gerontology Center board of councilors, president of the USC Cancer Research Associates and a USC trustee.

In 1982, he received the Half Century Club’s Outstanding Alumnus Award and in 1989 earned the General Alumni Assn.’s Asa V. Call Achievement Award.

“Ron Stever was a great friend to USC for almost seven decades,” USC President Steven B. Sample said.

Stever gave the university more than $4 million and helped raise another $7 million.

He was president of the board of trustees of Scripps College and in 1984 was named man of the year by the City of Hope.

Survivors include two sons, Richard of Pasadena and Gary of Rancho Palos Verdes, and three brothers.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.