Dr. R. L. Stephens

Dr. R.L. Stephens was born July 12, 1932 to the late Hollie Stephens Osborne and John W. Cole, Sr., in Marshall, Texas. Dr. Stephens was the first of seven children. Two sisters, Jean Osborne and Elizabeth Osborne Jackson (Calvin), and one brother, Milton Osborne, Jr. (Yvonne), preceded him in death. At an early age, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at Bethesda Baptist Church in Marshall, Texas.

He was educated in the Marshall Independent School District and graduated from H.B. Pemberton High School in 1950, where he participated in football and track. He furthered his education at Wiley College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 1958. Later, he graduated from East Texas State University (now Texas A & M University – Commerce) in 1976 with a Master of Science degree and earned his Doctor of Education degree in May 1982.

While at Wiley College, he met Cynthia B. Alexander of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. After a short courtship, they married in 1956 and enjoyed holy matrimony until her death in 2012.

R.L. and Cynthia united with the St. John Baptist Church in Dallas, where he served for many years as a deacon and worked with the Mission, Brotherhood and Prison ministries. In 2014, R.L., united with the College Park Baptist Church under the pastoral care of Carver Adams and served as a deacon and faithful member until his health declined.

After thirty-five years as an educator in the Dallas Independent School District, Dr. Stephens retired in June 1993. He began his tenure as a classroom teacher and coach at Pearl C. Anderson and Brown junior high schools; and, Edna Rowe, San Jacinto, and Joseph J. Rhodes elementary schools. He was an administrator at J.F. Kimball and David W. Carter high schools.

After his retirement, Dr. Stephens impacted the Coalition of Churches in Prison Ministry, whose mission was to curb the recidivism rate of Texas prison inmates by leading and sharing with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. According to Dr. Stephens, “It is recorded in Jeremiah 31:9, that the Lord will cause them to walk by the river of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble.”

Dr. Stephens believed that “with Jesus Christ, men and women could change from their wicked ways and walk a straight path.” He also contended that the sharing of the Gospel would result in inmates receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The Coalition, working with prison chaplains, sought to help inmates through the ordinance of baptism and communion.

While in the winter of his life, his youngest brother, James, aided him until his death on Wednesday, December 19, 2018.

Dr. Stephens leaves to cherish his memory: one sister, Edna Lois Osborne Smith, (Earnest, Sr.) Los Angeles, California; three brothers, John W. Cole, Jr. (Josephine) of Houston, Texas; Fletcher La Fayette Osborne, Sr. (Glenita) of Los Angeles, California; Reverend James Floyd Osborne of Dallas, Texas; his beloved cousin, Maurice Stephens McAfee (William, Sr.); a devoted home health care provider, Linda Phillips of Dallas, Texas; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and neighbors (Vernell Stribling; Rosa Waddleton; Joe McCalister; and Harry Green, Jr.).