Elton Jr. has always been kind of the black sheep of the family and was not heavily involved in the family business. Keely on Tuesday, however, said the U.S. A memorial service will be held at a later date. "I can't say enough about what the Stephens family has done and continue to do for this community," she said. After hearing that Peary had beaten him to the North Pole, Amundsen decided to tackle the South Pole. Before passing away at the age of 93 in 2005, Stephens and his wife, who preceded him in death in 1996, spent the last few decades of their lives donating millions to charity, educational institutions, the arts and various civic causes. Obituary. Death and legacy. Perhaps that will be enough incentive for Mr. Burke to turn himself in, Spina said. Tommy Spina, attorney for Stephens, said Burke could face an additional five years in prison if convicted of escape. The average age of Both issued guilty pleas in the federal case to kidnapping and bank fraud charges. Read more about the life story of Elton and share your memory. The suspect asked Stephens, What are you doing my house? which startled and confused Stephens. Her co-defendant 35-year-old Matthew Amos Burk was sentenced last month to 17 years. Stephens is the son of Elton B. Stephens, founder of EBSCO Industries, one of the largest privately-owned companies in America. Where we share as we remember & make discoveries and connect with others to help answer questions. can stop at any time. According to law enforcement, Burke and Tabatha Nicole Hodges, 22, broke into a house Stephens was staying at in Jefferson County as he slept on September . memorial page for John Thomas Elton Stephens (26 Jun 1912-24 Nov 1966), Find a Grave Memorial ID 141627531, citing Worthy Cemetery, . ELTON STEPHENS OBITUARY. Wadesboro Mr. Elton L. "Tebo" Stephens, 89, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 3, 2019. At one point, earlier testimony showed, Burke told Stephens if he did anything to make Hodges feel uncomfortable, it wont end well for you.. 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. The family, which inherited Stephens's wealth after his death in 2005, has never before discussed its finances with the media. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Elton Stephens. Vernon where he lived until . EBSCO Industries. The "international orange" color was chosen because it resisted rust and fading. After they left, he went to a friends home to call police. "EBSCO and the members of the family have been integral to the growth of the museum.". All Rights Reserved. Biographies are our place to remember and discover more about the people important to us. He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. Burke was sentenced to 17 years, and Hodges to 12 years, in the federal penitentiary system. Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama 35201. 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. After they left, he went to a friends home to call police. 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. Elton B Stephens of Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama was born on August 4, 1911, and died at age 93 years old on February 5, 2005. And I found it odd that he has retained Spina, the criminal defense attorney quoted in . According to previous testimony and court records, the suspects entered Stephens Crest Road rental home about 2 a.m. Surviving is a son, Charles Garry (Barbara) Stephens of Fuquay Varina, NC; grandson, James Edward (Madison Pace fianc) Stephens of Fuquay Varina, NC; a nephew, Albert M. (Carol) Kennedy of Schwenksville, PA; and a niece, Cecilia Kennedy (Donald) Mayall of Pennsburg, PA. Outstanding Student in Biomedical Equipment Technology - Justin Hollis . 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. According to his will -- dated April 12, 1993, and filed with the probate court shortly after his death on Feb. 5, 2005 -- the Stephens patriarch named his four children as his heirs. He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Stephens also founded theMetropolitan Arts Council in 1986 and was a major contributor to the Birmingham Museum of Art. 1973, and has spent the past eight and a half years serving as President and CEO only the third President in EBSCO's 70- year history. Roughly two hours of the abduction were recorded on Stephens sleep apnea app. 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). Sponsored by Ancestry. [7] They had two sons, Elton B. Stephens Jr. and James T. Stephens, and two daughters, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. "Virtually all of our personal assets are in our ownership of EBSCO of which we are proud and to which we are fully committed," the statement said. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Once the money was deposited, the suspects drove Stephens back to his rental house. 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. A truck bomb went off outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown - killing 68 people, injuring more than 680 others, and destroying one-third of the building. All rights reserved (About Us). your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. As listed in Whos Who, they encompass both the capitalistic and altruistic aspects of his personality: Invest/reinvest earnings to create employment/profits for growth/expansion. Join Facebook to connect with Elton B. Stephens and others you may know. BY ANCESTRY.COM. All Rights Reserved. The deadliest incident of domestic terrorism ever, Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, and Michael Fortier were convicted of the bombing. In 1937 he obtained a franchise with Keystone Readers Service, a middleman between subscribers and publishers of such magazines as the Saturday Evening Post and Ladies Home Journal. Matthew Amos Burke, 35, pleaded guilty Thursday to kidnapping and bank fraud charges, court records show. In 1911, in the year that Elton B Stephens was born, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first man to reach the South Pole, along with four fellow Norwegian explorers. 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. In fact, it has never actually been clear whether Harbert truly was the richest Alabamian, let alone the state's only billionaire. A memorial service will be held at a later date. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Help paint a picture of Elton so that he is always remembered. The binding plea agreement calls for Burke to be sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. 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. Burkes co-defendant, Tabatha Nicole Hodges, is set to have a change of plea hearing on Aug. 31. For the Stephens family, it all traces back to patriarch, the late Elton B. Stephens, and a $5,000 investment he made to start a business in 1944 along with his wife, Alys Robinson Stephens. Matthew Amos Burke, 35, was freed from the Jefferson County Jail on Dec. 10, more than a month after pleading guilty to federal charges in the abduction of Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens . Stephens, and his son-in-law, F. Dixon Brooke, married to Stephens' daughter, Dell, both went on to lead EBSCO and have followed him in philanthropy through scholarships, charitable campaigns and support of the arts. Advertisement. The museum has a Stephens Family Gallery. The couple had four children: James T. Stephens, Jane Stephens Comer, Elton B. Stephens, Jr., and Dell Stephens Brooke. He was charged with obstruction of justice, failure to uphold laws, and the refusal to produce material subpoenaed by the committee. Share memories and family stories, photos, or ask questions. He kept asking me why didnt I want it, but I didnt fall for that one.. All rights reserved (About Us). Stephens was taken to the suspects home in Remlap and held against his will for eight hours. Burke was sentenced to 17 years in prison for kidnapping Elton B. Stephens Jr. last year, according to jail records. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Elton Stephens. He was released only after he wired $250,000 to a bank account of the alleged kidnappers. He served four years in the U.S. Army and returned to Mt. The gift included $1 million for an endowed fund for the UA libraries; $900,000 for an endowed fund in the School of Libraries and Information Studies; $400,000 to the College of Commerce and Business Administration for sales, sales management and marketing scholarships; and $200,000 to support the UA-based Alabama Museum of Natural History. Stephens was married to Alys Robinson. Marshals are now searching for Burke after they became aware Monday that Burke was no longer in custody, U.S. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Elton has been found in 13 states including Alabama, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Utah. Facebook gives people the. BIRMINGHAM, AL the accused kidnapper of prominent Birmingham Businessman Elton B. Stephens, Jr. has pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple charges. He was a member and deacon of Voice of GraceMinistries in Vidalia. Stephens at some point asked kidnappers what it would take for them to leave him alone and Hodges replied, $400,000. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, 2023 McKenzie Mortuary. He is approximately 5'7 tall, 170 lbs. Elton Earl Stephens. The Birmingham Police Department is investigating the accident. when he died at the age of 93. 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. Stephens told Burke he was scaring him and asked Burke how much money it would take to leave him alone. Another decade and another career success later Elton announced that he would sell Alabama Bancorp and all its associated holdings, worth some $280 million, to Bancorp South. [2], With his son James, Stephens donated $2.5 million to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. was abducted in the morning hours of Sept. 11, 2020, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Taking 5 years to build, the 4,200-foot-long suspension bridge was an engineering marvel of its time - 11 men died during construction. 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. 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. 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. Enter That first year, I saved $500 and thats like several thousand today, he remembers. 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). Elton B. Stephens Jr., whose father founded EBSCO Industries in 1944, was kidnapped at 7 a.m. on Sept. 11 from a rental home in Birmingham, where police said a pair of suspects, Matthew Amos Burke . 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 State prosecutors said they spoke with the victim and other family members, and they were satisfied with the federal conviction and saw no need to proceed with the state charges. There are no events scheduled. We have 40 records for Elton Stephens ranging in age from 110 years old to 93 years old. After they left, he went to a friends home to call police. 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. Stephens became one of the first members of the United Way's Million Dollar Roundtable of top contributors and he established the Alabama Percent Club, which honors businesses that give 10 percent, 5 percent or 2 percent of pre-tax income to charity. When we share what we know, together we discover more. Elton Stephens . There is no early parole. to the family or plant a tree His father Elton B. Stephens started the company . Elton Stephens, Sr.'s wife, Alys Robinson Stephens, passed away in 1996, leaving the couple's four children, Elton B. Stephens, Jr., James T. Stephens, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. Brooke, as the only remaining members of his nuclear family. Recommend Elton's obituary to your friends. Previous state court testimony indicated Stephens whose family was ranked by Forbes magazine in 2014 as the 66th wealthiest in America - did not know his abductors. Survivors include his wife, Kathy Stephens of Tarrytown; two sisters, Claudette Stephens Drury and husband Kenneth of Fernandina Beach, Florida, and Jessie Stephens Cook and husband Kenneth of Kilgore, Texas; one brother, William Stephens of Gwinnett County; and several nieces and nephews. a 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. Mr. Elton Stephens, age 71, of Tarrytown, died Thursday, January 21, 2021, in Meadows Health in Vidalia after an briefillness. Call police discussed its finances with the media thats like several thousand today, he went to a home... 'S wealth after his death in 2005, has never before discussed its finances the... 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