The suspect asked Stephens, What are you doing my house? which startled and confused Stephens. Elton was a truck driver and worked with Southeastern Paper in Vidalia until his recent retirement. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elton Stephens please visit our,

Mr. Investigators were able to track down the suspects by obtaining GPS location information that was on Stephens phone. 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. Once the money was deposited, the suspects drove Stephens back to his rental house. BIRMINGHAM, AL Prominent Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens, Jr. was kidnapped from his Birmingham home Friday and ordered to pay $250,000 ransom to be released, according to police . He also left one of his grandsons a few hundred thousand dollars' worth of stock. Our primary concern is, of course, the safety of Mr. Stephens and his family, Spina said. Hodges told investigators Stephens had given the items to them willingly, but court records stated that they said they would kill him if he called anyone. Roughly two hours of the abduction were recorded on Stephens sleep apnea app. One of the vehicles belonged to Stephens but the detective said the suspects made him sign a $10 bill of sale for his truck. 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. Joni Money said sheriffs officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding Burkes release but said they did not have any documentation that Burke was to remain in custody. "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. Stephens told Burke he was scaring him and asked Burke how much money it would take to leave him alone. To the present, it is the symbol of the City that is known throughout the world. The suspect asked Stephens, What are you doing my house? which startled and confused Stephens. "EBSCO and the members of the family have been integral to the growth of the museum.". Elton's immediate relatives including parents, siblings, partnerships and children in the Stephens family tree. Its core industries include subscription services to libraries, bibliographic databases, manufacturing of construction and outdoors products, and real estate development. He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. A 2014 report on the world's super-rich by the wealth research firm Wealth-X listed her fortune at $1.8 billion. Stephens at some point asked kidnappers what it would take for them to leave him alone and Hodges replied, $400,000. According to previous testimony and court records, the suspects entered Stephens Crest Road rental home about 2 a.m. 22 years longer than Williams, 34, was hit at about 2:28 a.m. after exiting her disabled vehicle on the Elton B. Stephens Expressway. Elton R Stephens was born on October 8, 1933. Did Elton finish grade school, get a GED, go to high school, get a college degree or masters? Select the pencil to add details. Burke went on to say, according to testimony, that he had bought the house two weeks before which was not true. Stephens was married to Alys Robinson. View Elton L. Tebo Stephens's obituary, send flowers and find service dates or sign the guestbook. Support worthwhile projects including but not limited to education, health, religion, needy, cultural arts, boys/girls clubs, law enforcement, conservation, nature, water resources. and you'll be alerted when others do the same. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. She also initially said that the kidnapping was all her idea, not her boyfriends, but later said that was a lie. a Share. U.S. Our History. In 1924, at the age of just 13 years old, Elton was alive when J. Edgar Hoover, at the age of 29, was appointed the sixth director of the Bureau of Investigation by Calvin Coolidge (which later became the Federal Bureau of Investigation). He enjoyed fishing, camping, woodworkingand tinkering. 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. 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. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Voice of Grace Ministries, 1221 Orange St., Vidalia, GA 30474. 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. "Neither EBSCO or our family is worth anywhere near Forbes' estimate. Authorities went there on Saturday, Sept. 12, and both Burke and Hodges were there. Stephens died on February 5, 2005. We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. On the way to Remlap, the group stopped at a Full Moon Bar-B-Que drive-thru to get lunch. They are also charged in state court and awaiting indictment consideration by a Jefferson County grand jury. Elton Stephens died at age 70 years old on January 8, 1997. Updated: November 4, 2011 . Hodges two children ages 11 and 13 were with Hodges and Burke throughout the entire ordeal. We have no idea how Forbes could have so wrongly made this estimate. 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. 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. He was the son of James Nelson and Clara Stuckey Stephens. ELTON STEPHENS OBITUARY. Elton Earl Stephens. Birmingham and Mountain Brook police, as well as the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, responded. Discover how our Uncovering Our Shared Memories: An Introduction to the Community Standards at AncientFaces In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Voice of Grace Ministries, 1221 Orange St., Vidalia, GA 30474. 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. In 1995, he was approached by board members and asked to help re-establish the bankrupt ASO. BIRMINGHAM, AlabamaForbes may have singled out Birmingham's Stephens family as the state's richest clan with an estimated net worth of $4 billion, but those who live in the Magic City likely know Stephenses better for the things they've done with that wealth. 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 . Stephens is the son of Elton B. Stephens Sr., who started the conglomerate EBSCO Industries. 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, ELTON BRYSON, was born August 4, 1911, and died February 5, 2005. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in the book. 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. Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama 35201. Enter She also initially said that the kidnapping was all her idea, not her boyfriends, but later said that was a lie. 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. Good healthy years, being successful in whatever it is you may choose to do, after this, as long as you do it right.. He was a member and deacon of Voice of GraceMinistries in Vidalia. 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. After graduating from law school . The maximum penalty for conspiracy is 5 years in prison. He has been involved with the Southern Research Institute, Waste Water Facilities Development Committee, Y.M.C.A., American Council of the Arts, United Arts Fund, Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Methodist Hospitals, American Cancer Society, Alabama Development Office, and most especially the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Hodges told investigators Stephens had given the items to them willingly, but court records stated that they said they would kill him if he called anyone. [2][4][5] The company sold magazine subscriptions to the United States Army. 44 birth, 21 death, 3 marriage, 327 divorce, View That led them to the location where Stephens had been taken. All Rights Reserved. Matthew Amos Burke, 35, was being . 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. Driven by his love of a challenge and his passion for classical music, Two people have been arrested and are being held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond following the kidnapping and release of prominent retired businessman Elton B. Stephens Jr. "Elton . Elton B. Stephens, Jr., the retired CEO of EBSCO Industries, was reportedly kidnapped from his bed last Friday and held for ransom. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. She was Alabama's first female governor and was the only female governor to . [1] His son James serves as the chairman of EBSCO Industries. Share what Elton did for a living or if he had a career or profession. Welcome to AncientFaces, a com "Thank you for helping me find my family & friends again so many years after I lost them. She also initially said that the kidnapping was all her idea, not her boyfriends, but later said that was a lie. Unlock the mysteries of your family history and explore the rich tapestry of your past with AncientFaces. The Remlap pair remains behind bars on no bond. to the family or plant a tree All rights reserved (About Us). After more than 80 years of business and financial endeavors, Elton says working is still his favorite hobby. The "international orange" color was chosen because it resisted rust and fading. "I can't say enough about what the Stephens family has done and continue to do for this community," she said. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Elton Stephens. "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. That marriage, which lasted until Alys Stephens death in 1996, took place in 1935, after Elton had graduated from Birmingham-Southern and before he completed his last year of law school at The University of Alabama. Where we share as we remember & make discoveries and connect with others to help answer questions. On Friday, Dec. 10, he was accidently released from the Jefferson County Jail after state charges were dismissed. Elton Stephens, age 71, of Tarrytown, died Thursday, January 21, 2021, in Meadows Health in Vidalia after an brief illness.  He was a native of Montgomery County, growing up in Mt. He's currently 80 years old and is the richest man in Alabama. The transition marks the first time EBSCO has not been led by a member of the Stephens family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Carolyn Frink Stephens and a sister, Cecile Stephens Kennedy. Good healthy years, being successful in whatever it is you may choose to do, after this, as long as you do it right.. Elton B. Stephens 1911 - 2005 2020 Inductee. According to previous testimony and court records, the suspects entered Stephens Crest Road rental home about 2 a.m. The Birmingham Police Department is investigating the accident. He once tried to swap me a nickel for a dime saying it was bigger and had more value. Investigators were able to track down the suspects by obtaining GPS location information that was on Stephens phone. Her co-defendant 35-year-old Matthew Amos Burk was sentenced last month to 17 years. 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.

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