Stephen was born in London on the 30 July 1923. However, his family home was in Belgium in a village near Charleroi, where he attended the local school until the age of 12. Stephen moved to a school in St Albans as a boarder in September 1936. In 1943 he volunteered for the RAF and was accepted for pilot training, undertaking this in Canada and gaining his wings there before returning to the Shetland islands to fly Catalinas as a member of 210 Squadron Coastal Command. Following demobilisation, he entered the dental school at St Andrews in October 1946, qualifying in 1950. After a brief spell in practice, he went to Dundee as a lecturer, moving to Manchester three years later where he completed his MDS in 1959. He moved to Sheffield in 1963 as consultant dental surgeon with a special interest in conservative dentistry. He was a great supporter of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and in the period 1980–1983 was elected the last Convenor of Dental Fellows and then the first dean of the new Faculty of Dental Surgery. He was chair of the Association of Dental Hospitals from1975–1979. He was elected President of the British Society for Restorative Dentistry in 1984/5. He retired from his consultant post in 1988 at the age of 65.

Stephen took a great interest in student affairs, umpiring staff-student cricket matches, and having a period as warden of Tapton Hall of Residence. He was one of those individuals with great presence but who was always happy to offer thoughtful advice when requested. He retired to Norfolk but kept in regular touch with his many friends and former colleagues in Sheffield. He died on 10 March 2013 at the age of 89. To his widow Bobbi and his children Christopher, Deborah and Nigel, and their families, we extend our sympathy for their sad loss. His passing away will be felt by many former colleagues both in Sheffield and at the RCS Edinburgh, who will remember his skill as a clinician, administrator and as a reliable, professional friend.