Survivors include his wife, Kathy Stephens of Tarrytown; two sisters, Claudette Stephens Drury and husband Kenneth of Fernandina Beach, Florida, and Jessie Cook and husband Kenneth of Kilgore, Texas; one brother, William Stephens of Gwinnett County; and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Voice of Grace Ministries, 1221 Orange St., Vidalia, GA 30474.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
. The suspect asked Stephens, What are you doing my house? which startled and confused Stephens. and you'll be alerted when others do the same. The following summer, Elton B. Stephens assembled and coordinated a team of friends to assist him; and he learned that he was not only a good salesman, but also a good manager. The woman who took part in the kidnapping of prominent Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens Jr. has been sentenced to federal prison. The U.S. After waking Stephens, Burke asked the victim how much money he had and if he had any real estate holdings, according to the plea agreement. On the way to Remlap, the group stopped at a Full Moon Bar-B-Que drive-thru to get lunch. He was a member and deacon of Voice of GraceMinistries in Vidalia. and has brown hair and blue eyes. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Biography ID: 59996224 . Our History. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Hodges gave them consent to search the residence and thats when authorities found several guns, a Yeti cooler, a camera and cash that had been taken from Stephens home. EBSCO's history reaches back to the first summer of the Great Depression when 19-year-old Clio, Alabama, native Elton B. Stephens sold magazine subscriptions door to door to earn money for college. We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Summers were spent working for Butterick, selling subscriptions to that once-famous dress pattern makers magazine, and in 1930 Elton and five friends hitchhiked north to Michigan to sell subscriptions door-to-door all day. Stephens at some point asked kidnappers what it would take for them to leave him alone and Hodges replied, $400,000. As EBSCO grew into a worldwide empire, Elton was very clear about his goals. Mr. Stephens was born in Clio, Barbour County, Alabama. He also sold an odd mix of newspapers, suits, sandwiches, and Cloverine Salve, thereby setting a pattern he would follow with EBSCO in the years to come; it would not seem odd to him that a company known for its printing and distribution capacities could also excel in the manufacture of fishing line. Elton B Stephens Elton Stephens (1911 - 2005) Jump to: Biography Memories . All rights reserved. The Bureau had approximately 650 employees, including 441 Special Agents. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Stephens is the son of Elton B. Stephens, founder of EBSCO Industries, one of the largest privately-owned companies in America. Elton B Stephens lived Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama 35201. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Good healthy years, being successful in whatever it is you may choose to do, after this, as long as you do it right.. [2], With his son James, Stephens donated $2.5 million to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. At one point, earlier testimony showed, Burke told Stephens if he did anything to make Hodges feel uncomfortable, it wont end well for you.. But Stephens's son, current EBSCO board chairman James T. Stephens, told AL.com in an email statement Friday that the Forbes figure was "grossly overstated," though Forbes has not amended or withdrawn its report. But the former racecar driver is also undoubtedly one of the richest residents of Alabama, having succeeded his father at the helm of Barber's Dairy. Garry Drummond, the controversial current CEO of Drummond and one of only two Drummond heirs still living as of July 2013, reportedly owned all of the capital stock in the massive coal company by then, Bloomberg reported, citing a report by business research outfit Dun & Bradstreet Corp. "If that's correct, Garry Neil is a billionaire," Bloomberg wrote. [2] For charitable contributions to the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Stephens Family Gallery is named in his family's honor. Forbes may have singled out Birmingham's Stephens family as the state's richest clan, Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, Brooke retired as CEO of EBSCO Industries, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Birmingham and Mountain Brook police, as well as the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, responded. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). There will be a service to celebrate his life at 2:00 pm, Thursday, March 7, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church, Wadesboro with the Rev. They met as students at Birmingham-Southern College and graduated together in 1932. Mr. Elton China, life journey began on Wednesday, October 7, 1942, born to the late Mr. James and Mrs. Carrie China to a large family of ten siblings. After graduating from law school, Elton found that he could earn only $75 a month as a lawyer while selling magazines would bring in some $100 a week. Her co-defendant 35-year-old Matthew Amos Burk was sentenced last month to 17 years. Stephens also founded theMetropolitan Arts Council in 1986 and was a major contributor to the Birmingham Museum of Art. Death and legacy. The average age of The family will greet friends prior to the service from 12:45 pm until 1:45 pm at the church. The heiress of Birmingham-based Harbert Corporation magnate John Murdoch Harbert III, her husband of 43 years who died in 1995, Harbert left her brood a massive inheritance. His wife died in 1996. Marston Bulow Stephens, age 96, of Bossier City, Louisiana passed away on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 surrounded by loving family. to the family or plant a tree Birmingham and Mountain Brook police, as well as the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, responded. He was born on June 21, 1934 in Minster, Ohio to the late Frank & Rose (Jacobs) Meiring. Brooke. It was Eltons frustration with borrowing money early in his business career that led him in 1981, at the age of 70, to begin a second career as a financier. He was a loving husband and a faithful friend. While many of those contributions resulted in Stephens' name or names being attached to projects (theAlys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center atUAB or the Elton B. Stephens Science Center at Birmingham-Southern College) most were made without any such lasting recognition. Roughly two hours of the abduction were recorded on Stephens sleep apnea app. The active involvement of the Stephens' family has contributed to the growth of EBSCO. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. But it is highly likely that the Harberts will no longer be able to claim that the richest living Alabamian is a member of their privileged family tree. Founder and chairman of the board of EBSCO Industries, Inc., Elton Bryson Stephens was born August 4, 1911, to parents Clara Stuckey and James Nelson Stephens in Clio, Alabama. Marshal Marty Keely said on Monday. Enter Arrangements in Wadesboro are being handled by Leavitt Funeral Home. Elton Stephens Elton Stephens (1913 - 1984) Jump to: Biography Memories . He enjoyed fishing, camping, woodworkingand tinkering. Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. All rights reserved (About Us). . Once at the suspects home, Stephens called his banker, a call which was recorded, and asked him to wire $250,000 to Hodges bank account. Founded in 1944 by the late Elton B. Stephens, EBSCO Industries, Inc. has evolved into a global company with businesses in various industries, including Information Services, Outdoor Products . 1892 - 1976. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is asking for help finding 35-year-old Matthew Amos Burke. Tabatha Nicole Hodges, 33, was sentenced Thursday to . Stephens died on February 5, 2005. Messages run for up to one year and you Then there was the need for military recreational equipment and furnishings for the officers clubs, so EBSCO eventually found itself handling carpeting and drapery, with a plant in Georgia, and managing military entertainment, with the purchase of National Billiard, Americas oldest pool table company. Named by Forbes as the 66th richest family in America, the Stephenses of Birmingham reportedly had a net worth of $4 billion as of last year. He is preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Alys Varian Robinson Stephens, who died on the same day, 1996, and by his five . Later questioned by authorities as to how she came up with that amount, Hodges replied, it sounded like a big number.. Stephens family member is 71. Who is Elton Stephens to you? The kidnapper of Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens Jr. has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. After they left, he went to a friends home to call police. Matthew Amos Burke, 35, was being . Wadesboro Mr. Elton L. "Tebo" Stephens, 89, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 3, 2019. What schools or universities did Elton attend? As of 2014, the Stephens family had a net worth of over $4 billion, according to Forbes . Tommy Spina, attorney for Stephens, said Burke could face an additional five years in prison if convicted of escape. Elton was a truck driver and worked with Southeastern Paper in Vidalia until his recent retirement. TheAlabama State Council on the Arts presented Stephens with its Jonnie Dee Little Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 in recognition of his financial contributions in support of the arts. It was Elton and Jim who initiated EBSCO's $2.5 million contribution to the University of Alabama's capital campaign in 1995. He kept asking me why didnt I want it, but I didnt fall for that one.. was released from the Jefferson County Jail, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Sadly, Williams was pronounced dead at the scene. There will be a service to celebrate his life at 2:00 pm, Thursday, March 7, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church, Wadesboro with the Rev. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Baker McCullough Funeral Home Danyse G. Edel Son, Elton B. Stephens Jr., headed EBSCO Realty, responsible for eco-friendly, sustainable development approaches such asMt Laurel in Shelby County andAlys Beach on the Florida Gulf Coast. Elton Earl Stephens. He was released only after he wired $250,000 to a bank account of the alleged kidnappers. Send Flowers. The binding plea agreement calls for Burke to be sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. Region. He transitioned peacefully from this earthly life to eternal rest early Sunday morning, December 5, 2021, at the age of 79 at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital in Sumter, South Carolina. [5] His wife died in 1996. The Remlap pair remains behind bars on no bond. Elton "Sonny" Meiring, age 88 of Celina, Ohio, formerly of Minster, died at 7:29 PM on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys, Ohio. Elton Jr. has always been kind of the black sheep of the family and was not heavily involved in the family business. Each summer, Elton would travel the country, enhancing his ability to sell and adding to his team. Stephens was taken to the suspects home in Remlap and held against his will for eight hours. In Birmingham his name is perhaps most commonly associated with Barber Motor Sports Park and Museum, home to the world's largest collection of motorcycles, to which he has contributed tens of millions of dollars. Stephens, then 75, was abducted in the morning hours of Sept. 11, 2020, Roughly two hours of the abduction were recorded on Stephens sleep apnea app, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. A small-town boy, 11 Elton quickly learned the value of money. Death . One of the vehicles belonged to Stephens but the detective said the suspects made him sign a $10 bill of sale for his truck. He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. EBSCO quickly expanded; Elton saw the need for magazine racks at Fort McClellan and other places and formed Vulcan Industries to make them. If Garry Drummond truly is a billionaire, he would likely be the richest Alabamian, but he has not been identified as such by Forbes, and his personal finances, like those of other Alabama residents, are not available to the public. Born in Barbour County, Alabama in 1911, Elton B. Stephens was instrumental in the rebirth of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. We know that Elton R Stephens had been residing in Medford, Jackson County, Oregon 97504. Mr. Elton L. Tebo Stephens, 89, of Wadesboro, NC, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 3, 2019. On July 1, Brooke retired as CEO of EBSCO Industries, replaced by Tim Collins, the former president of EBSCO Information Services. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. This section is to introduce Elton Stephens with highlights of his life and how he is remembered. A search is underway for the man convicted in the kidnapping of prominent Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens after he was accidentally released from jail. "He took a six-panel wood door and put a steering wheel on it and a lawn mower engine on the back and four tires," Stephens recalls of the elder. [2] The Red Mountain Expressway was renamed the Elton B. Stephens Expressway by the City of Birmingham on September 11, 1975. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Voice of Grace Ministries, 1221 Orange St., Vidalia, GA 30474. In fact, it has never actually been clear whether Harbert truly was the richest Alabamian, let alone the state's only billionaire. As a youngster, he would rise early to milk the familys cows, then bottle and sell the milk before school. So now that Harbert has passed away, there is no clear heir to the title of wealthiest Alabama resident. There is almost certainly more to this story. Survivors include his wife, Kathy Stephens of Tarrytown; two sisters, Claudette Stephens Drury and husband Kenneth of Fernandina Beach, Florida, and Jessie Cook and husband Kenneth of Kilgore, Texas; one brother, William Stephens of Gwinnett County; and several nieces and nephews. Stephens is the son of Elton B. Stephens, Sr., who started EBSCO Industries in the 1940s and became one of the most successful businessmen in Alabama history. Elton B. Stephens. At one point, earlier testimony showed, Burke told Stephens if he did anything to make Hodges feel uncomfortable, it wont end well for you.. Elton Stephens of Cleveland, Blount County, Alabama was born on July 5, 1913, and died at age 71 years old in October 1984. [5], Stephens died on February 5, 2005. But just who will be the benefactor of her fortune remains unknown beyond her inner circle, as her will is not yet available for public perusal at Jefferson County Probate Court. He was a member and deacon of Voice of GraceMinistries in Vidalia. Once the money was deposited, the suspects drove Stephens back to his rental house. Stephens was taken to the suspects home in Remlap and held against his will for eight hours. We have no idea how Forbes could have so wrongly made this estimate. Elton C Stephens of Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama was born on September 7, 1926. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Elton had continued selling subscriptions as he worked to complete his education, even hiring other students to work for him, including fellow Barbour County boy George Wallace, who would later become governor of Alabama. Elton has also never forgotten the importance of education, and in the mid-1990s funded the nations largest endowment for a chair of library sciences, at The University of Alabama. Elton R Stephens was born on October 8, 1933. 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