William Arthur Stephens

On Wednesday, March 29, 2017, William Arthur Stephens passed. He left behind his wife, Gail, and his children, Andy and Marie Stephens, Sarah and Kevin Shaughnessy, and Molly and Justin Rogers. Bill also was blessed with seven grandchildren: Maddie, Jake, Aidan, Callan, Gabi, Finn, and Fiona. He is also survived by his sister, Nancy Stephens and his brother, Scott Stephens (and family).

Bill was born in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, and grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. He attended Robert M. LaFollette High School (1969) and University of Wisconsin, Madison (1974) with a BS in Civil Engineering.

Bill took great pride in his work. Bill spent his life dedicated to serving his family and his clients to the best of his ability. While those who know him professionally know his career did not end to his satisfaction, his family knows that Bill never stopped trying to do what he felt was right and just. Bill thought his legacy would be the work, his real legacy, though, is the impact he had on his family and friends. And everyone knows Bill loved a bullet list…

• For his family, Bill was a force to be reckoned with. He was loving, good, kind, funny, affectionate, exhausting, supportive, forgiving, sometimes difficult, but always loved his family with a full heart.
• Bill had a lifelong group of friends that began in kindergarten. Those friends, the “RUE’s”, remained an important touchstone his entire life. Dave, Jon, Gary, Steve, Gregg, Ed and Rick…drink one for Bill.
• He went deer-hunting in northern Wisconsin with a group of hunting buddies for 40 years. Some of the hunters changed. Some died…and new friends were brought in. He only missed a year or two and very few deer ever lost their life, but a few brown liquors sure did. Poker was played, and jokes were told, and for all of them, that was enough.
• He was always there for family and friends in need. When someone needed a tree cut down, or help painting, or whatever the need be, they did not have to even ask for help, he was simply there.
• Bill loved racing, any and every sort, but found the most fun cheering on the guys at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. In the last few years, he bought a midget with hopes of taking a few laps himself.
• This last year, he played the role of Santa Clause at a local school for physically and intellectually challenged kids. This gave him great happiness, and he likely would have done this “forever”. He had the beard and the heart, he just needed the suit. Gail took care of that. Bill will be missed.

A memorial service is planned for April 30, 2017 at 2:00 at Lindsey Plantation in Taylors, SC. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Meyer Center for Special Children ( http://meyercenter.org/give ).