Willis H. Stephens, 99, a lifelong resident of Brewster who represented Putnam and parts of Dutchess and Westchester counties in the state Assembly for more than 30 years, died Oct. 17 at Putnam Hospital Center.
Following in his father’s footsteps, he was elected to the Legislature in 1952 and served until 1982. He served as chair of the Ways & Means Committee and later as the ranking member. He also served for many years as an elected member of the New York Republican State Committee.
Willis was born June 7, 1925, in Danbury, Connecticut, the son of D. Mallory and Grace (Hine) Stephens. After attending Brewster schools, he graduated from The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey in 1943, then enrolled at Princeton University but deferred to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served as a flight instructor and attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. At the end of World War II, he returned to Princeton and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1950.
After college, Willis Stephens joined Maust Coal and Coke Corp., brokers of industrial fuels. In 1959 he formed The W. H. Stephens Corporation and sold coal and oil to major industries and utilities in the northeast U.S.
On Nov. 24, 1951, he married Daphne Dunbar in Marblehead, Massachusetts. They moved to Brewster, where they raised their four sons. Daphne died in 2006.
Willis served as a member of many corporate boards and business, civic and philanthropic organizations, including the organizing committee for the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. A lifelong outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing in the Adirondack Mountains and Canada. He also loved playing golf.
Willis is survived by his sons Daniel Stephens (Sharon) of Brewster, Willis Stephens Jr. (Virginia) of Brewster, Gardner Stephens of Lake Placid and Jonathan Stephens (Kristin) of Sherman, Connecticut. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Daniel Stephens (Elspeth), Andrew Stephens (Matt), Kelly Pieri (Trevor), Willis Stephens III (Samantha), James “Mac” Stephens and John “Jack” Stephens, and seven great-grandchildren.
In addition, he is survived by his brother Mallory Stephens (Dolores). His sister, Alice Schneckenburger, died earlier.
Visitation is scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 21) at Beecher Funeral Home, 1 Putnam Ave., in Brewster. A funeral is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 10:30 a.m. at Christ Church, 17 Church Road, in Pawling, followed by interment at Maple Avenue Cemetery in Patterson.
Information provided by Beecher Funeral Home
