William Thomas Stevens

William (Bill) Thomas Stevens, 89, passed away peacefully on July 4th, 2021 in Mobile, Al. from heart failure. William was born in Mobile, AL on April 2, 1932 to the late Burton R. and Lolete Pistole Stevens.

He attended Old Shell and Woodcock Elementary, Barton Academy, and Graduated from Murphy High School in 1950. He received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi (’57), and his Masters of Business Administration (Accounting Emphasis)(’61) from the University of Alabama. He then completed extensive post-masters studies for D.B.A. at Mississippi State University.

During his teenage years he was a Golden Glove boxer (going by the name of Pee Wee) fighting out of New Orleans with his brother Rod Stevens. After graduation from high school, Bill was employed by Alcoa Steamship Company in Mobile.

In June 1953, Bill entered active duty in the United States Army serving 2 years during the Korean War in Ft Bliss TX and in intelligence with the 40th AAA Brigade Headquarters in Hiyoshi, Japan near Yokohama. He was honorably discharged June 1st 1955 with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He then served 3 additional years in the Alabama National Guard.

After completion of his undergraduate degree, he received his first accounting position with Texaco Oil Company’s production division in New Orleans. Upon receiving his MBA, he was employed as Supervising Auditor with the federal government agencies of: The Public Housing Administration in Atlanta, GA, the Civil Aeronautics Board in Washington, D.C. and San Mateo, California, Las Vegas, NV, Anchorage, AK, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in New Orleans.

He became a licensed CPA in Louisiana (’67) where he passed the Louisiana CPA board exam with the highest score ever recorded up to that point, and then became a licensed CPA in Alabama (’74).

He began his academic career in June 1967 when he received the position of Accounting Department Assistant Professor at the Mitchell College of Business at The University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. He remained at this position for twenty-five years where he helped to create the Masters of Accounting program with full accreditation, served on the university admissions committee, and represented the college of business in the Faculty Senate. He has affected the lives of hundreds of students over the years, and for these efforts received multiple awards from student societies as well as the award for most outstanding advisor in Accounting. After his time at USA, he then accepted a position as Full Professor and Chair of the Accounting Department at the University of Mobile where he taught for six years, retiring in 1997. In Addition to University teaching, he taught a significant number of professional development seminars for CPAs in Mobile and the surrounding area.

Bill held memberships in multiple professional organizations including the Beta Alpha Psi Honorary Accounting Fraternity, the Federal Government Accountants Association, the National Association of Accountants (now named Institute of Management Accountants), the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Accounting Association. Bill was a member of Spring Hill Baptist Church.

He had a passionate interest in genealogy and worked to trace the Stevens family line back to Stephen Hopkins, a settler in both the Mayflower and Jamestown settlements. For this, he was granted membership in the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, the Sons of the American Revolution, and was in the process of applying for membership in the Jamestown Society.

A Mobile native, Bill loved the gulf coast, especially surf fishing, crabbing, and walking the beach at their beach house he built at Fort Morgan, AL. He remained in contact with lifelong friends Paul Sims, Findley Curtis, and Fu Tung Chen.

Bill was predeceased by his sisters, Mabel Stevens Leslie, Lolete Stevens, Jane Stevens Bell, Joyce Stevens Waite, and his brothers Berton Stevens and Roderick Stevens.

He is survived by his wife Martha Ann Holliday Stevens of 50 years, his son, Colin Bryant Stevens of Austin TX, his daughter Kristen Dawn Stevens (Ron) Fink, and granddaughter Madeline Camille Fink of Bella Vista, AR. He is also survived by his sisters, Dorothy Stevens Gandy of Mobile, AL and Gloria Stevens (Joe) Thompson of Ft. Walton Beach, FL.

Bill and Martha met when they arrived to teach at the University of South Alabama College of Business and were married at Spring Hill Baptist Church on August 29th 1970. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family on August 29th 2021. Bill was dedicated to his family and worked tirelessly to make a wonderful life and provide for all the people around him.

A memorial service will be held for him on Friday July 9th, at Pinecrest Funeral Home beginning at 1pm. Family & friends are invited to attend visiting hours from 11am until the service hour. Interment at Pine Crest Cemetery Chapel will follow the service. A celebration of life gathering will be held immediately after the burial for everyone attending.