[List] Obituary: Bill Stephens

[Cecil Stokes]

Dr. William D. (Bill) Stephens - rocket scientist, respected leader, 
race car driver, tennis player, scuba diver, Egyptologist, snow skier, 
palm reader, wine maker, poet, poker player, yachtsman, sharpshooter, 
fisherman, master negotiator, maker of memories and hopeless romantic - 
died at age 90 on 10/17/2023.

  Born 11/17/32 to Claude E and Lillian Cole Stephens in Paris, 
Tennessee, Bill was raised in Charleston SC, Scranton PA, and Louisville 
KY. He graduated from Western Kentucky then earned his PhD in Chemistry 
at Vanderbilt University. He had a long and successful career at Thiokol 
Chemical Corporation in Huntsville, AL, then Goodyear Tire and Rubber in 
Akron, OH, then back to Thiokol in Huntsville. He went on to work for 
Atlantic Research in Washington, DC, before returning to Huntsville 
again in 1983, as Director of Propulsion for the US Army Missile Command 
(MICOM) until his retirement in 1998. During that time, he also served 
for 18 months as Associate Director of Technology for MICOM's Research, 
Development and Engineering Center, managing all areas of research and 
exploratory development.

  An internationally recognized authority in investigation of explosions 
and accidents, Dr. Stephens was chosen to direct the 1985 technical 
investigation of the catastrophic explosion of a US Pershing in Germany. 
During 1987, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the State Department assigned 
Dr. Stephens to lead the US technical team negotiating the INF 
Disarmament Treaty with representatives of the USSR in Geneva, 
Switzerland. Under his leadership in 1993, a five-year cooperative 
development program with Japan was started, followed by programs with 
the governments of Egypt, France, South Korea and Israel.

  Dr. Stephens served twice as Chairman of the Executive Committee of 
the joint Army-Navy-Air Force Propulsion Committee (JANNAF). 
Other professional accomplishments included being granted or named on 
over 20 patents ranging from incorporation of bucky balls in solid 
rocket fuels to gel-based fire suppressants.

  He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Steve-Anna Bird. He 
is survived by brother Charles Stephens (partner Anne Brown) of Fort 
Gratiot, MI, and his children Dan Stephens (Lisa) of Batavia, IL, 
Steve-Anna Stephens of Tucson, AZ, and Jenny Stephens (partner Kevin 
Robling), Bloomington, IN, as well as grandchildren Dani (and Hesham 
Nouh), Nate Stephens and Jon Stephens, and great grandchildren Mia and 
Rami Nouh.

  A longtime resident of Huntsville, Alabama, Bill lived in 
Fayetteville, Tennessee from 2016 until January, 2023 when he moved into 
assisted living to be close to his youngest daughter in Indiana. 
Following cremation, his children will lay his ashes to rest in Maple 
Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Alabama. There will be no public service.
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