Ralph E. Stephens, Jr.

Ralph Eugene Stephens, Jr. (Gene), 81 of Bluffton, SC, died unexpectedly on Monday, February 21, 2022.  Gene was born on April 5, 1940 to Ralph and Grace (Lawson) Stephens of Knoxville, TN.  After graduating from the Journalism School at the University of Tennessee, Gene married his high school sweetheart Patricia Gail Birdwell (Gail) on June 9, 1961.  He wrote for over a decade as a crime, investigative and political reporter for The Knoxville Journal, The Atlanta Times, The Cincinnati Enquirer (where he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize), and The Atlanta Constitution, and also served as political editor in Raleigh, NC, and then Bureau Chief in Birmingham, AL, for United Press International.  His investigative reporting on crime and the justice system ultimately led him to earn a Masters Degree from Georgia State University and a PhD from Emory University to prepare him for a career as a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the College of Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.  His passion was looking to the future to transform policies now with the mission of preventing crime and humanizing the criminal justice system, as expressed in numerous journal articles, book chapters and text books that he authored or edited.  He taught at three of the best executive law enforcement programs in the United States-California Command College, Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, and Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas.  He was criminal justice editor of The Futurist, assistant law and justice editor of USA Today Magazine, and a columnist for the Police Futurist.  He produced 37 videos for teaching criminal justice in high schools and developed an Executive Leadership Course for the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.  All told, he consulted and taught the future of criminal justice in more than 200 organizations and continued editing and writing the rest of his life, including his Remembrances of Gene & Gail Stephens.  Gene loved his wife, children, and grand-children, who all miss him dearly.  He loved playing basketball, running, playing golf, watching movies and traveling – visiting all 50 states and 40 countries.  He and Gail shared a passion for nature and especially birding, and often enjoyed sharing travel experiences in quiet natural settings.  His children are grateful that he passed on his love of travel, the outdoors and most of all family, from his parents to the next generations.

Gene is survived by his wife of 60 years, Gail Stephens; son Michael Stephens and wife Cheryl of Canton, NC; daughter Kristen Darji and husband Bikash of San Diego, CA; 5 grandchildren – Ryan and Carly Stephens; and Jasmin, Joshan, and Roshan Darji.

Gene is preceded by his parents Ralph and Grace Stephens.

A celebration of life will be planned by the family at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to The Nature Conservancy or The National Audubon Society.

Sauls Funeral Home in Bluffton, SC is assisting the family, and condolences are welcome on the Tribute Wall.