'Phil' Stephens Philip “Phil” Brent Stephens Sr. of Greenville passed away July 10, 2014, in Rowlett. He was born Jan. 2, 1949, in Denton to Philip Benjamin Stephens Jr. and Mary Ann Phillips. Phil was a sports photo journalist and North Texas soccer pioneer. He was a loving family man, devout follower of Christ, and a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Greenville. He is survived by his wife, Gail Stephens; children Ryan Stephens of McKinney, Megan Stephens and husband Scott Bratton of Greenville, Brittany Stephens of Houston, and Philip “Brent” Stephens of Greenville; daughter-in-law Amber Stephens; his mother, Mary “Ann” Stephens; sister Teresa Smesrud; brother Mike Stephens; and grandchildren Maddox, Holly, Skye, Boston, Jaxon, Bennett, and Eli. Phil was preceded in death by his father, Philip Benjamin Stephens Jr., and one brother, Billy Kent Stephens. There will be a memorial service at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 20, at Park Cities Baptist in Dallas. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the home of Amber Stephens, 3404 Nova Trail, Plano. Lynch Funeral Service of Greenville is in charge of arrangements. Remembrances may be made in the form desired by friends. Flowers and contributions to Philip Brent Stephens Jr. at First Convenience Bank (903-455-0561) benefiting the four surviving grandchildren Phil and Gail have been raising are both welcome.

The Herald Banner - Greenville TX

Phil Stephens, whose pioneering coverage of soccer touched many in the American soccer community for more than 40 years, passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 65 in Rowlett, Texas, following unexpected surgery. He was a 1967 graduate of R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton, Texas.

Stephens chronicled the rise of Dallas soccer from the early days of the Dallas Tornado and the youth soccer boom in the early 1970s. He was one of the first photographers to cover women's soccer in the 1970s and 1980s and was Soccer America's photographer at the 1991 Women's World Cup in China. He went on to cover the 1995 Women's World Cup in Sweden and the 1999 Women's World Cup in the USA. He also covered the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, the 1996 Olympics and 1987 and 1989 Under-20 World Cups.

He regularly attended many of the nation's largest youth tournaments, where his photography helped make them national events.

He began covering Dallas soccer for Soccer America as a writer and photographer in the early 1970s. He served as the sports editor of the Park Cities People, a Dallas community newspaper, for 32 years (1976-2008) and was also the editor of DallasSoccerNews.com (2005-12).

Soccer America expresses its condolences to Phil's wife, Gail Phillips Stephens, and his children, daughters Meg and Brittany and sons Ryan and Brent. He is also survived by his sister Teri Stephens Smesrud and brother Michael.

The funeral service will be held Sunday, July 20, at 3 p.m. at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. Visitation: 6-8 p.m. on Saturday July 19 at 3404 Nova Trl, Plano, Texas.

Submitted by Ken taylor