Leland K. Stephens

Born April 21, 1930, in Easley, South Carolina, Mr. Stephens was the son of the late Roy Mack Stephens and Vera Porter Stephens.

Mr. Stephens was an ordained Southern Baptist Pastor from 1958 until his early retirement in 1992, followed by eleven churches as an interim pastor from 1992 until 2019. He was educated at the public schools in Easley and Greenville, South Carolina, North Greenville University, and graduated from Wingate University. His education also included Wake Forest University, Charlotte College, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

Mr. Stephens was married to the former Lena Staton Godfrey from 1951 until 2009. He married Bonnie Chandler Bergstrom in 2013.

In addition to his parents and his wife, Lena, he was preceded in death in 2015 by his beloved son, Malcom. Pastor Stephens is survived by his wife, Bonnie; daughter, Allida Stephens Parks and husband, Jack; four grandchildren, Leah Parks Poteat and husband, Matthew, Jennifer Parks Baucom and husband, Eric, Melissa Parks Manning and husband, Travis, and Wesley Sean Stephens and wife, Renee; great grandchildren, Brady Cox, Madison and Josie Poteat, Gabriel Simpson, Garrett and Gavin Baucom, and Grace and Layla Manning; and great great grandchildren, Avery and Brayleigh Simpson, and Jonah and Cora Pearce.

He was also proud to claim Bonnie’s kin as his own. They include daughter, Laurie Leebrick and husband, Frank, and their children, Caitlin, Frankie, Rebecca, Brady and Liam; son, Christopher and wife, Charity, and their children, Victoria and Chandler; and great grandchildren, twins Erin and Amora King.

A visitation for Leland will be held from 1:00 until 3:00 pm Sunday, January 23, 2022, at First Baptist Matthews, 185 South Trade Street in Matthews, North Carolina, followed by a service to celebrate his life at 3:00 pm in the Worship Center. Interment is private.

In his own words, “I tried to be a helper.”

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mcewenminthillchapel.com for the Stephens family.