Dr. Richard Charles Stephens

Dr. Richard Charles Stephens, born on November 25, 1942, passed away July 3, 2026 leaving behind a remarkable legacy of scholarship, public service, and mentorship, and an unwavering love for his family.

Raised in New Orleans, Richard graduated with the inaugural class from Benjamin Franklin High School, subsequently earning his Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Orleans. Richard continued his education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earning his Master of Arts (1966) and his Ph.D (1971) in Sociology/Criminology.

Richard built a distinguished career as one of the nation's foremost researchers in the field of drug abuse and addiction. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he became a leading investigator of heroin use and street addiction, conducting groundbreaking research with individuals experiencing addiction, and helping establish a sociological framework for understanding opioid dependence. As a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Public Health Service, he conducted addiction research at the federal civil commitment hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. He later continued his pioneering narcotics research in New York City before joining the faculties of the University of Houston and then Cleveland State University.

Throughout his career, Richard's work focused on understanding the social and cultural forces that shape substance abuse and addiction. He authored two influential books: The Street Addict Role: A Theory of Heroin Addiction, and Mind-Altering Drugs: Use, Abuse, and Treatment, both of which helped shape the field and informed the next generation of researchers and practitioners.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Richard broadened his scholarship to include HIV prevention, adolescent substance use prevention, evaluation science, and public health policy. He collaborated on numerous federally funded studies evaluating prevention programs and behavioral interventions, publishing extensively in leading academic journals and edited volumes. As the national evaluator of the Target Cities initiative, he led work that culminated in a published evaluation in 2002. During this time, he joined the University of Akron as a Professor of Sociology and became the Founding Director of the Institute for Health and Social Policy (est. 1999), where he continued to mentor students, advance research, and promote evidence-based public policy. Under his leadership, the Institute received what was then the largest grant in University of Akron history: a $13.7 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop and evaluate a new D.A.R.E. substance abuse prevention curriculum for middle and high-school students. He retired from the University of Akron in 2009.

While Richard's professional achievements were significant, he was most proud of his family. He raised two children in Cleveland Heights, Ohio with his beloved wife Barbara Stephens (Kurfis) to whom he was married for 32 years, until her passing in 2002. In 2007, he married Peggy Stephens (Felber), with whom he shared 19 years of marriage and was a stepfather to her two children. Peggy and Richard resided in Portage Lakes, Ohio.

Richard is survived by his wife, Peggy; his children, Keturah (Reid) Nelson and Benjamin (Susan) Stephens; his stepchildren, Aaron Tonkin (Cynthia Phillips) and Alexis Tonkin (Jeff Farmer); his cherished grandchildren, Amelia, Sarah, Adelyn, Tanner, Leah, Keegan, Brayden, and Wesley; his brothers, Timothy Brewster and Patrick Brewster, along with many extended family members, friends, colleagues, and former students whose lives were enriched by his kindness, wisdom, and generosity.

Preceding Richard in death were his devoted sister, Janice and his parents, Charles and Arlanda.

Richard will be remembered not only for his pioneering contributions to sociology, public health, and addiction research, but also for his intellectual curiosity, compassion, integrity, and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of others. His work continues to influence the fields he loved, and his legacy lives on through the countless people he taught, mentored, and inspired.

The family will hold a private celebration of Richard's life. His family asks that he be remembered not only for his accomplishments, but also for his love of learning (as well as a vodka martini) and his devotion to those he loved. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Richard C. Stephens Memorial Fund at Ben Franklin High School: https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form?svcid=renxt&formId=f7b6bfe2-b147-4675-9a36-8f1afa94ae90&envid=p-opWxm-iPO0uYtkL0R0LkWg&zone=usa 

Arrangements have been entrusted to Adams Mason Funeral Home 330-535-9186.