Robert Howard Stephens

Robert Howard Stephens, 96, died peacefully at home on Wednesday May 11, 2022. He was born October 2, 1925, in Chicago, IL to Burrett H. Stephens and Anna Pierson Stephens. He and his family moved to Beaufort, NC in 1932 where he attended public schools and graduated from Beaufort High School with the class of “42”. He was accepted in the Navy V-12 program and was commissioned ensign in 1945. After serving in the Navy, he received his undergraduate and professional degrees in architecture from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1948. While in Atlanta he met his lifelong love Betty C. Sealy whom he married in 1949. The newly married couple moved to Beaufort and later to New Bern. He joined his father in the practice of architecture in New Bern receiving his architectural license in 1950 and continued his practice until his retirement. As a lifelong lover of learning he earned a Master of Liberal Arts from Duke University in 1991.

His architectural work was principally in education, ecclesiastical and residential design. Among his designs are Havelock and West Craven High Schools, Tarawa Terrace Elementary School, Trent Park Elementary School, Bayboro United Methodist Church, Pollocksville Presbyterian Church, and Garber United Methodist Church, his personal residence, and other homes throughout the area. He received several Dumont Awards sponsored by the Duke Endowment for Rural Methodist Church Design and a Southeast Regional AIA award for the design of the old New Bern High School, now Grover C. Fields Middle School. His work was published in The American School and University, Southern Architect, North Carolina Architect, and Southern Living. He was a member of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture and served a term on its Board of Directors. He was twice president of the Eastern Section of the NC Chapter of the AIA. He was a member of the Interfaith Forum of Art and Architecture and the Panel of Construction Arbiters of the American Arbitration Association.

A lifelong Methodist, he was a charter member of Garber United Methodist Church and served his church on the local, district and conference levels. He was a member and past president of both the New Bern Rotary Club and the Coastal Carolina Navy League.

He was preceded in death by his father Burrett H. Stephens, mother Anna P. Stephens. He is survived by his wife of 73 years Betty S. Stephens, sons Henry H. Stephens and wife Larraine C. Stephens, Paul F. Stephens and wife Darlene G. Stephens, and daughter Claire A. Stephens and husband Christopher A. Mayer, grandchildren Katherine H. Stephens, Jason H. Stephens and wife Carissa, Robert E. Stephens and wife Marsha, Sarah S. Estes and husband Christian, John D. B. Stephens and wife Alyson, great grandchildren Jasper, Penelope, Dean, and Julian Stephens, Olive McCoy, and Lukas, and Cory Estes.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday May 17th at 4 PM at Garber United Methodist Church, 4201 Country Club Rd. New Bern N.C. The family will host a reception at New Bern Golf and Country Club immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rotary Club of New Bern Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 818, New Bern, NC, 28563.

Arrangements by Cotten Funeral Home & Crematory. Online condolences may be made to the Stephens family at www.cottenfuneralhome.come