Wayne Howard Stephens

Wayne Stephens was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on November 6, 1947. Wayne enlisted in the Army on December 27, 1966, following in his father Harold Stephens’ footsteps, a retired Air Force Flight Engineer. He then attended the Warrant Officer Flight Training Program and was awarded the Army Aviator Wings in 1968. In 1971, he accepted a direct appointment to First Lieutenant in the Air Defense Artillery Branch. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1978.

With more than 33 years of active military service, Colonel Stephens’ key duty assignments have included; Combat Pilot in the Vietnam War (over 1000 hrs of combat flight), Combat Skills Flight Instructor, U.S. Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, AL; Support Platoon Commander, 284th Avn Co (ATC), Eight Army, Korea; Battery Commander, 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery, 32nd Army Air Defense Command, U.S. Army Europe, Flight Commander and Training Division Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Aviation Center, Executive Officer, 6th Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade, Fort Rucker, AL; Executive Officer, U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion, Montgomery, AL; Operations Plans Officer For the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Pentagon; Chief, Specialized Training Branch, U.S. Army Military Personnel Center, Alexanderia, VA. Commander of U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion in Columbus, OH; Commander, U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion, Phoenix, AZ. U.S. Army Director of Recruiting Operations, Fort Knox, KY; U.S. Army Commandant of The Recruiting and Retention School Fort Jackson, SC.

He was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (with five Oak Leaf Clusters), the Air Medal (with Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendations Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Clusters) and the Master Army Aviator Badges. He was devoted to the Army and our Country.

After a lifelong career with the Army, Wayne retired and pursued his other passions: Playing pool with his close friends in the pool league, golfing at the base with his military buddies, and most of all, his summer trips to Maine to go fishing and visiting with all cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Wayne Stephens passed away on October 10, 2023. He will be greatly missed by all the lives he touched. Wayne is survived by his wife of 28 years, Lowry Anne Mettenberger and their four Children, Nicole Stephens of CA, Maureen Kaufmann of SC, Christopher Thompson of OH, Patrick and wife Christina Thompson of SC, three granddaughters and three grandsons. In addition, he has two brothers, Harold W. Stephens, III (deceased), Mark Stephens and his partner Mark Ashurst of TN, and two sisters, Gloria and her husband Richard Kinville of MT, and Cheryl and her husband John Morris of S.C., as well as many cousins, nieces, & nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Jamil Shriners Children's Hospital.

Viewing will be on Tuesday, October 17 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, 7600 Woodrow St., Irmo, SC 29063. Service will be held on Wednesday, October 18 at 11:00 a.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, with burial following at 1:00 p.m. in Ft. Jackson National Cemetery.