H.H. 'Bud' Stephens

Services for H.H. "Bud" Stephens, a longtime Brownwood resident, will be held at 2 p.m. today at the First Baptist Church with Dr. Lanny Hall, Dr. Donnie Auvenshine and Dr. Richard Jackson officiating, preceded by the burial service at 10 a.m. at the Goldthwaite Memorial Cemetery with Davis-Morris Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

He died at 12:15 a.m. Thursday, May 26, 2005, at Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene following a six month illness.

Born in Kerrville, he graduated from Brownwood High School in 1956, Howard Payne College, B.S. Business, 1960, Howard Payne University, B.A. Bible, 1986, and Hardin Simmons University, M.A. Religion, 1994. He received the outstanding graduate student award from Hardin Simmons University. He was married to Sarah Weatherby on Aug. 3, 1963.

He was a businessman's businessman. He began his career selling sporting goods with his father, Jack Stephens. He served as partner and C.E.O at the Central Texas Livestock Auction. He managed Weatherby Motor Company with his father-in-law, Joe Weatherby, and was currently owner and broker of Stephens Ranch Hand Real Estate. He was a rancher and a farmer. He was an educator, teaching courses in Bible at Howard Payne University. He was pastor, guiding Bowser Community Church, Downtown Bible Class, Brookesmith Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Mason. He followed God's vision in starting Woodcreek Baptist Church, NorthRidge Baptist Church, MidTown Baptist Church and Second Chance Ministries. He served on the Howard Payne University Board of Trustees, Texas Baptist Leadership Center Board of Advisors, Texas Baptist Financial Services Board, Baptist Church Loan Corporation Board, Brown Baptist Association Mission Committee and Southwestern Seminary Advisory Board. He served his community through the Brown County Fair Association, Rodeo Steering Committee, Brown County Noah Project, Brown County Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Brown County Toys for Tots, Brownwood Chamber of Commerce, Brownwood Economic Development Corporation, Texas Rambouillet Sheep Breeders Association, Brownwood Industrial Foundation, Central Texas MHMR and the West Texas Rehabilitation Center.

During his lifetime, he was recognized by the community with the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award in 1997 and the Medal of Service from Howard Payne University in 2003.

Survivors include his wife, Sarah Weatherby Stephens of Brownwood; his mother, Maxine Stephens of Brownwood; two daughters, Deborah Stephens Crowder of Corpus Christi and Teresa Stephens Lee and husband Ryder of Blanket; five grandchildren, William Colton Lee, Macey Anne Lee, Brandon Scott Crowder, Stephen Morris Crowder and Sarah Maxine Crowder.

The family has requested memorials be made to First Baptist Church Brownwood and Howard Payne University.

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