![Tributes have been paid to former Orange SES unit commander Kim Stevens following death. Picture by Jude Keogh. Tributes have been paid to former Orange SES unit commander Kim Stevens following death. Picture by Jude Keogh.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/562eec2c-6b7e-4d81-b851-7d824828579e.jpg/r0_0_5568_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Tributes have been paid to a man who was "universally respected."
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Kim Stevens died on Monday, October 24 at the age of 70, following a long battle with motor neuron disease.
His son, Rob Stevens, said there were "none better" than his father.
"Regardless of what was going on in the world, his kids, his family and his wife came first," Mr Stevens said.
"Whether it was SES or with the amateur radio club, he was always out doing something, but if one of us had a trip or a fall at home, he'd drop what he was doing in a heartbeat. He was the most beautiful dad.
"He also had a wicked sense of humour. A sense of humour that really flew under the radar a bit."
Kim Stevens first joined the NSW SES at 16 years of age.
He served as the commander of Orange City Unit from 1999 to 2019, and was integral in building the unit into one of the "most respected and professional volunteer rescue units in the state."
Rob Stevens would go on to follow in his father's footsteps and is the current unit commander in Orange.
"I'd seen the type of stuff he was doing and I really liked the idea of that. There was the bonus that I got to hang out with dad as well," Mr Stevens added.
"The amount of people contacting us who we never even knew were out there is amazing. He touched so many people and every one of them has stories of how kind he was to them or how caring, patient or just how he was a straight up gentleman."
Due to his declining health, Kim Stevens stepped back from the role of unit commander in 2019 but remained an active member of the NSW SES.
At the time of his death, Kim Stevens had loved ones all around him.
![FLASHBACK: Orange SES controller Kim Stevens in 2005 with granddaughters Jessica and Nicole Smith. Photo: STEVE GOSCH FLASHBACK: Orange SES controller Kim Stevens in 2005 with granddaughters Jessica and Nicole Smith. Photo: STEVE GOSCH](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/e0cab8e8-0beb-46e2-b2e0-9626a7c6b9d1.jpg/r0_120_2464_1511_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"You see it written in places, 'surrounded by family' but he genuinely was. We were all there and all present," Rob Stevens added.
"In the final hours and final minutes, we said 'dad look, you don't have to fight this any more'. I think he found a happy place."
A statement by the Western Zone SES described Kim Stevens as man who "devoted a lifetime of service to the communities in which he lived."
"Inspector Stevens shared his wisdom and leadership both within the NSW SES and with external emergency management partners and community members alike," it read.
"He was a steadfast example of the spirit of volunteerism. He served with distinction to the very end, never wavering in his dedication to his community."
Kim Stevens is survived by his wife Ann-Marie, his son Rob and daughter-in-law Rachael, his daughter Patricia and his grandchildren Nikki, Jay, Luke, Lilly, Katie and Anna.
The funeral for Kim Stevens will take place at 2pm on October 31 at the Wesley Uniting Church in Anson Street.
![The funeral for Kim Stevens will take place at 2pm on October 31 at the Wesley Uniting Church in Anson Street. The funeral for Kim Stevens will take place at 2pm on October 31 at the Wesley Uniting Church in Anson Street.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/8bcee173-9ff8-4de8-9e09-77a53f2561dc.jpg/r0_188_2016_1514_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Dad worked at the Parkes Radio Telescope in the early 1970s and he used to tell us about the hay rides they'd take on the dish," Rob Stevens added.
"When he first saw the movie 'The Dish' he said 'by geez, that set is really, really good. That looks so accurate and just like it did back then."
Little did Kim Stevens know that the equipment used for the moon landing had been stored on-site and subsequently used in the 2000 film.
Upon learning of this, the former SES unit commander said "oh, that would explain why it looked so real."
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