Ronnie Preston Stephens, 77, of Gustine, Texas, passed away on Sept. 30, 2018, after a courageous battle with cancer. Stephens had a long career in the agriculture industry, beginning in 1966 as a salesman with International Mineral Company (IMC). He held other sales positions with Fort Worth Tower, Riverside Chemical Company, and Crescent Chemical before cofounding S&H Chemical in DeLeon, Texas, with the Hlavinka family in 1985.
After gaining full ownership of S&H, Stephens expanded the business to other locations in Texas before selling the company in 1998. He continued to own and operate Amber Terminal in Fort Worth, and remained well connected in the fertilizer industry, attending 51 Southwestern Fertilizer Conferences before his health declined.
His sons remain actively involved in the industry. Randy Stephens is founder and president of SureGrow Ag Products Inc., with multiple locations in Texas and headquartered in Comanche, Texas. Rodney Stephens owns Ferti-Tex Ag Services, with several locations in central Texas.