Stephen Ford Dill

Stephen Ford Dill was Senior Minister of Dauphin Way United Methodist Church from 1972 until 1990 and was later named Pastor Emeritus. He also served as Interim Senior Minister in 2010. For eighteen years following his retirement from the ministry, Dr. Dill was the founding director of The J. L. Bedsole Scholars Program.

He was born in Birmingham, Alabama and reared in Mobile; he attended Leinkauf Elementary School, Barton Academy and graduated from Murphy High School. He received a Bachelor’s Degree from Emory University, a Master’s Degree from Emory’s Candler School of Theology and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Huntingdon College. Dr. Dill served as a United Methodist Minister for forty years in the Alabama West Florida Conference, including the last l8 years as Senior Minister at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church in Mobile.

Before coming to Dauphin Way, he organized the Oglethorpe United Methodist Church in Oglethorpe, Georgia and the Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church in Mobile. In addition, he served as pastor of the East Tallassee UMC, Gulf Breeze UMC in Florida, Dalraida UMC in Montgomery, and First UMC Brewton, Alabama. Dr. Dill was also Superintendent for the Methodist Churches for the Troy District.

He held positions in the Methodist Church including Trustee of Birmingham Southern College, Trustee of Huntingdon College, President of the Alabama-West Florida Conference Board of Pensions, a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry, and a Delegate to the World Methodist Conferences in London, England and Denver, Colorado.

Always in conversation with the inter-faith community of Mobile, Dr. Dill was a member of the Christian-Jewish Dialogue and the advisory board of the Christus Theological Institute. At the turn of the century, he served as chairman of Celebration 2000, Mobile’s interdenominational observance of two millennia of Christianity.

After retiring from the ministry, Dr. Dill served as the Director of The J.L. Bedsole Scholars Program for 18 years. This program offered college scholarships and mentoring to hundreds of deserving young people from five counties in Southwest Alabama.

In addition to his service in the church, Dr. Dill gave time and leadership to the community at large. He served as chairman of the 1997 Campaign for the United Way of Southwest Alabama, President of Mobile United, President of the Rotary Club of Mobile, Chairman of the Child Day Care Association Capital Funds Campaign, and twice Chairman of the Committee on Tax Referendum for Mobile County Public Schools. His honors included 1994 Rotarian of the Year, 1992 Mobile United Community Service Award, Murphy High School Hall of Fame, and the 2010 Chamber of Commerce Fred Delchamps Award. In 2011 he was the keynote speaker for the 175th Anniversary Celebration of The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

His membership on various boards and committees included the Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue Redevelopment Corporation, Westminster Village, Victory Health Clinic, Compassionate Friends, the Mobile Chamber of Commerce Foundation, United Way of Southwest Alabama, Salvation Army Advisory Board, America's Young Woman of the Year, Mobile Infirmary Institutional Review Committee, Bellingrath Gardens Advisory Committee, Downtown YMCA, City of Mobile Human Relations Commission, Child Advocacy Center, and Mobile County Sheriff’s Chaplaincy Program.

Dr. Dill was preceded in death by his parents Chris C. Dill and Winnie Frank Ford Dill and by his sister Sarah Elizabeth Dill.

He is survived by his wife Ruth Reeves Dill, four children, Dr. Stephen Reeves Dill (Ann) of Mobile, Dr. Laurie Elizabeth Dill (Larry Menefee) of Montgomery, Ms. Chris Tesch of Montrose, Colorado and Stuart Harrison Dill (Maral Missirian-Dill) of Nashville, Tennessee and seven grandchildren Robert Stephen Dill, Rebecca Elizabeth Dill, Andrew Dill Menefee, Edward Dill Menefee, Martin Dill Menefee, Ani Missirian-Wilson (John Wilson) and Ohan Missirian-Dill, as well as one great-grandchild Aline Missirian-Wilson.

Due to COVID-19 a private family service will be held. A Memorial Service at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Dauphin Way United Methodist Church Foundation or the Dill Lecture Series of Dauphin Way United Methodist Church.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com for the Dill family.