John Thomas Elton Stephens. Summary Elton Stephens of Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho was born on November 13, 1892, and died at age 83 years old in February 1976. . He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. The transition marks the first time EBSCO has not been led by a member of the Stephens family. Outstanding Student in Biomedical Equipment Technology - Justin Hollis . The suspect asked Stephens, What are you doing my house? which startled and confused Stephens. The Stephens other daughter is Jane Comer, who was honored in 2002 for her own support of the arts. Elton B. Stephens Jr. was kidnapped at around 7am on September 11 from a rental home in Birmingham, Alabama after two suspects broke into the man's house while he was asleep Elton and Jim also contributed $15 million towards the $26 million Elton B. Stephens Science Center at Birmingham-Southern. He was a loving husband and a faithful friend. "EBSCO and the members of the family have been integral to the growth of the museum.". As of 2014, the Stephens family had a net worth of over $4 billion, according to Forbes . Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. (19112005) was an American businessman from Alabama, who founded EBSCO Industries. In fact, one five-member clan has been identified as wealthy enough that any one -- or all -- of them could be in possession of significantly more than $600 million each. Burke replied, Forever or just for today?, At one point, records state, Burke asked Stephens, How much life do you think you have left? Stephens replied, 10 years., Burke then said, I think you got 20 more, I think you do. Elton has been found in 13 states including Alabama, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Utah. The museum has a Stephens Family Gallery. A memorial service will be held at a later date. The binding plea agreement calls for Burke to be sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. Later questioned by authorities as to how she came up with that amount, Hodges replied, it sounded like a big number.. Elton B. Stephens is among four artists who will be inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame during its induction banquet Saturday at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence. To the present, it is the symbol of the City that is known throughout the world. For years he has been referred to as a billionaire in news articles and other forums, but any definitive proof of the extent of high his net worth remains elusive. A small-town boy, 11 Elton quickly learned the value of money. He also left one of his grandsons a few hundred thousand dollars' worth of stock. The building where the orchestra performs the Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center is named in honor of Eltons beloved bride. All rights reserved (About Us). All rights reserved. Read more about the life story of Elton and share your memory. Those who knew him believe his philanthropy was driven by his own struggles growing up in Clio in Barbour County and living through the Great Depression. Share highlights of Elton's life. His father Elton B. Stephens started the company . And I found it odd that he has retained Spina, the criminal defense attorney quoted in . He served four years in the U.S. Army and returned to Mt. Obituary. A Birmingham native, Harbert was the lone billionaire in Alabama, Forbes claimed last year. Fred Senter officiating. He was born on October 24, 1926 in Hall Summit, Louisiana to the late Roy Henry and Tommie Lee Fletcher Stephens. Elton B. Stephens Jr. remembers begging his father to build him a go-cart. Stephens, Jr. most recently served as . All rights reserved (About Us). He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. 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. Elton was a truck driver and worked with Southeastern Paper in Vidalia until his recent retirement. After they left, he went to a friends home to call police. Add Elton's family friends, and his friends from childhood through adulthood. He was a loving husband and a faithful friend. [2] For charitable contributions to the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Stephens Family Gallery is named in his family's honor. The U.S. Burke was sentenced to 17 years in prison for kidnapping Elton B. Stephens Jr. last year, according to jail records. Stephens, then 75, was abducted in the morning hours of Sept. 11, 2020, from a house he was renting from fellow businessman and philanthropist George Barber while he was waiting for his new house to be ready. That first year, I saved $500 and thats like several thousand today, he remembers. we begin to Show & Tell who they were during particular moments in their lives. Elton Stephens's passing at the age of 71 on Thursday, January 21, 2021 has been publicly announced by Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home in Vidalia, GA .Legacy invites you to offer condolences and share mem Vernon where he lived until moving to Tarrytown in 1989. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "Neither EBSCO or our family is worth anywhere near Forbes' estimate. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). They were in the house for hours taking one of Stephens sports cars for a joy ride and making food in the kitchen before waking Stephens about 8:30 a.m. 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. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Two people are behind bars after allegedly kidnapping Birmingham businessman and philanthropist Elton B. Stephens Jr. and forcing him to wire hundreds of thousands of dollars to them after stealing his vehicle, multiple guns, and jewelry last week. Dr. Sarah B. Kalish officiating. The Red Mountain Expressway, Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, and the 99,500-square-foot Elton B. Stephens Science Center at Birmingham-Southern College were all named in honor of the family's charitable work and donations. [2] They also paid $15 million for the construction of the Elton B. Stephens Science Center on the campus of BirminghamSouthern College. Stephens died on February 5, 2005. Marshals are now searching for Burke after they became aware Monday that Burke was no longer in custody, U.S. They had two sons, Elton B. Stephens Jr. and James T. Stephens, and two daughters, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. Brooke. Determining the richest person in the state is simply not an exact science. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. James Lewis Stephens. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. His aggressive selling techniques translated well in the banking arena, and a decade later the banks assets had more than doubled, to $46 million, leading Elton to form the company known as Alabama Bancorp. Elton B. Stephens 1911 - 2005 2020 Inductee. The city and state honored Stephens' support of civic projects by renaming the Red Mountain Expressway the "Elton B. Stephens Expressway. 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. James Stephens is the Chairman of EBSCO Industries. Funeral Home website by. Another Alabamian who has not been identified as a billionaire by Forbes -- long considered the leading authority on the topic -- is George Barber. Birmingham and Mountain Brook police, as well as the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, responded. These philosophies built a company I started in 1943 with capital of $5,000 and sales under $1,000,000, and fewer than 20 employees to annual sales of more than $1 billion on June 30, 1997; over 4,000 employees and 100 profit centers operating worldwide with adequate capital to continue growth. Last Known Residence . Stephens' son, Jim ''J.T.'' He was a member and deacon of Voice of GraceMinistries in Vidalia. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama and is a graduate of Yale University and the Harvard Business School. Elton Stephens . A small-town boy, 11 Elton quickly learned the value of money. 04-March, 1:30 PM, First Baptist Richmond Hill, Glennville City Cemetery. As a youngster, he would rise early to milk the familys cows, then bottle and sell the milk before school. Biographies are our place to remember and discover more about the people important to us. Burke and Hodges also are charged in state court, where their cases are awaiting grand jury action. Tired of lenders who would refuse to lend against accounts receivable or not discuss long-term debt, he went looking for cheap banks in small towns, and purchased Citizens Bank in Leeds, Alabama, with $21 million in assets, for $2 million in borrowed funds and $600,000 of his own money. Sadly, Williams was pronounced dead at the scene. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Vernon, and was a 1968 graduate of Montgomery County High School.  He served four years in the U.S. Army and returned to Mt. They met as students at Birmingham-Southern College and graduated together in 1932. Once the money was deposited, the suspects drove Stephens back to his rental house. A memorial service will be held at a later date. They were in the house for hours taking one of Stephens sports cars for a joy ride and making food in the kitchen before waking Stephens about 8:30 a.m. Matthew Amos Burke (Jefferson County Jail). Eventually the group left the house with Stephens in a vehicle with Burke, and Hodges following in another vehicle with her two kids. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. and you'll be alerted when others do the same. Burke was transferred to the Jefferson County Jail from a neighboring agency which was holding Burke for the feds Nov. 24 to attend court. Biography ID: 75204441 . 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. Procha Patrice Williams was tragically struck and killed by a vehicle on Jan. 8 in Birmingham. Burke went on to say, according to testimony, that he had bought the house two weeks before which was not true. Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) of Phoenix, Maryland, USA (acting as Explosives Subcontractor to Main Demolition Contractor, Lindamood Demolition of Irving. Biography ID: 59996224 . The Bureau had approximately 650 employees, including 441 Special Agents. Elton B Stephens Elton Stephens (1911 - 2005) Jump to: Biography Memories . Burke replied, Forever or just for today?, At one point, records state, Burke asked Stephens, How much life do you think you have left? Stephens replied, 10 years., Burke then said, I think you got 20 more, I think you do. A nine-digit bank account would keep anyone sitting pretty for generations, but it doesn't automatically guarantee a claim to the title of richest Alabamian. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. She also initially said that the kidnapping was all her idea, not her boyfriends, but later said that was a lie. There is almost certainly more to this story. 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. He kept asking me why didnt I want it, but I didnt fall for that one.. Heman Drummond first worked in a mine himself before cobbling together several hundred dollars and launching his own company in 1935. Basing his operation in Birmingham, Alabama, Elton soon had salesmen hawking titles all over the Southeast, including as World War II began at nearby Fort McClellan. 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