James Stephens Obituary

Stephens Ph.D., James R. 81, retired Organic Chemist. Dr. James R. Stephens once caused an entire building to fill up with smoke while conducting one of his many experiments, and all individuals needed to be evacuated, including the president of his company, Standard Oil Company of Indiana. Many would have been embarrassed, but Jim just remarked "Hey, I'm an inventor, and it got my name known!" A heavily accomplished and published organic chemist - a holder of 47 US patents - Dr. Stephens (of Naperville) passed away at the age of 81, on February 2, 2007 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. He was born on March 16, 1925 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Earning his doctorate from Northwestern University in 1953, Dr. Stephens had completed his Master of Science from the University of Pittsburgh and his Bachelor of Science (graduating Magna Cum Laude) from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. Retiring in 1987, Dr. Stephens ranked 4th in patent productivity for Amoco Chemicals (a division of Amoco, formerly Standard Oil Company of Indiana, now BP), his employer of over 30 years. Some of his more well-known, and profitable, patents included Torlon (a polyamide-imide, high-strength plastic) and AI Polymer (a coating which had many applications for Amoco Chemicals, including coating for cookware and aluminum and copper wire). Many of his polyamide-imide high-end (withstanding temperatures up to 260 degrees centigrade) engineering thermoplastics are widely used today, most commonly applied to seal rings and ball bearings for automobile applications, jet engine components and high-temperature coatings. Dr. Stephens celebrated 60 years of membership in the American Chemical Society this year and had been showered with many awards during his career, including; his 1954 Glycerine Research Award from the Glycerine Producers' Association, the 1986-1987 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Society of Plastics Engineers SPE Division and the same society's 1986-1987 Outstanding Achievement Award for their Thermoplastic Materials and Foams Division. He was further elected to The Society of The Sigma Xi, an entity devoted to the promotion of research in science in 1949 and, also in 1949, was initiated as a member of Phi Lambda Upsilon, an honorary chemical society. Jim was, further; a World War II (Navy) veteran, an accomplished stock and bond investor, a master gardener and an avid coin, stamp and fossil collector. He loved his family greatly and never ceased in his desire to display for them and others an amazingly clever sense of humor. While self-deprecating at heart, he never ceased to remind others that he was "not a genius", but a "super-genius". Dr. Stephens is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years, Beatrice (nee Johnson); his loving children, James L. Stephens of Kenosha, Wisconsin; Andrew W. J. (wife Patricia) Stephens of Glen Ellyn, Illinois; Paul B. (wife Ann) Stephens of Oak Brook, Illinois; and Rhea (husband Frank) Stephen-Pons of Chicago, Illinois; his grandchildren, Mark, Jaimee and Matthew Stephens; Luke, John and Catherine Stephens; Philip and Peter Stephens; Beatrize and Raphael Stephen-Pons; his sister, Carol Ann Stephen as well as many extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew B. Stephen and Margaret G. Stephen (nee Steuernagel) and his brother, Richard A. Stephen. Visitation will be Wednesday, February 7, 3:00 until 8:00 p.m., at the Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home, Naperville. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, February 8, 10:00 a.m., at St Raphael Catholic Church, 1215 Modaff Road, Naperville. Interment will follow at SS Peter & Paul Cemetery, Naperville. Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home, 44 South Mill Street, Naperville, 630-355-0213.