Obituary for David G. Stephan
David G. Stephan, age 88 of Pierce Twp., died December 11, 2018. He was the beloved husband of the late Dorothy "George" Stephan (nee Spetnagel), devoted father of Douglas K. (Peggy), Donn P. (Melissa), and Dean D. Stephan, loving grandfather of David (Chrissy) Stephan, Douglas (Michelle) Cox, Erica (Chris) Simmons, Sian, Jordan, Dylan, and Joshua Stephan, Ryan Arrington, Zachary (Megan), Erin, and Jenna Stephan, caring great-grandfather of Jaydin, Alana, Travis, Danny, Kailey, Danica, Maddox, Evelyn, and Isaac, and dear brother of the late Mary Edmonds and Thomas Stephan. "Our family would like to express undying gratitude to Judy Ryerson, his loving friend and companion." Memorial service will be held at T.P. White & Sons Funeral Home, 2050 Beechmont Ave., Mt. Washington, on Saturday, January 12th at 2 pm where friends may visit from 1 to 2 pm. If desired, memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association.
PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Dr. David G. Stephan, retired Director of the Environmental Protection Agency's Industrial
Environmental Research Laboratory in Cincinnati (IERL-Ci), devoted the greatest part of his
professional career to research and development on solving environmental problems. He is known
internationally for his work in water pollution research, especially in the areas of advanced waste
treatment and water renovation.
Dr. Stephan's first professional employment came in 1952 at Battelle Memorial Institute where
he engaged in research on manufacturing ductile zirconium for the nation's first atomic submarine. This
was followed by classified research at the Atomic Energy Commission's Feed Materials Production
Center at Fernald, Ohio.
Dr. Stephan's first involvement in fighting pollution came in 1956 when he was tapped by the
U.S. Public Health Service to head its Air Pollution Control Equipment Research Program. Four years
later, the PHS named him Deputy Chief of its embryonic Advanced Waste Treatment Research Program.
His new post allowed him to apply his chemical engineering know-how to solving then-intractable waste
treatment problems. For his role in the AWTR Program, Dr. Stephan received the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare's Meritorious Achievement Award and the Public Health Service's Superior
Performance Award.
In 1964, Dr. Stephan was transferred to Washington and named as Deputy Chief of its Basic and
Applied Sciences Branch. In 1966, the Federal water pollution control programs were transferred to the
Department of the Interior and were consolidated in a new agency, the Federal Water Pollution Control
Administration. Dr. Stephan moved to FWPCA to become its Director of Research. In 1968, he was
named as Assistant Commissioner for Research and Development.
When the Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1970, Dr. Stephan served as
Assistant Commissioner for Research and Development of its Water Quality Office until EP A's
reorganization in mid-1971. At that time, he was named Program Management Director for EPA's
Office of Research and Development. In mid-I975, he returned to Cincinnati to head the IERL-Ci and to
serve as the EPA.'s Senior Official in the Cincinnati area. He continued his dual roles as Laboratory
Director and Senior Official until his retirement in December, 1985. Following retirement, he continued
as a part-time senior scientific consultant to the EPA and, became the "father" of the American Institute
for Pollution Prevention. This Institute served as a non-adversarial government/industry communication
channel to promote the adoption of non-pollution-creating industrial manufacturing processes.
Dr. Stephan received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in chemical engineering in 1952 from
Ohio State University. Three years later, at OSU, he earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree. His
outstanding academic record 'won him elections to such honorary scholastic societies as Phi Lambda
Upsilon (chemistry), Tau Beta Pi (engineering) and Sigma Xi (science). He was recognized for his
leadership in extracurricular activities through election to Texnikoi, OSU's activities honorary for
engineers. He was also the recipient of a Battelle Fellowship for three years running.
From 1955 to 1964, he served in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, starting as
an Assistant Sanitary Engineer (Ensign) and closing out his tour of duty as a Sanitary Engineer Director
(Captain). At the age of 32, he was, reportedly, the youngest person in the history of the Public Health
Service to hold the rank equivalent to Navy Captain. In 1970, Dr. Stephan was honored by being named
a Distinguished Alumnus of the Ohio State University College of Engineering.
Professional memberships include the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American
Chemical Society, Water Pollution Control Federation, Federal Water Quality Association, and
International Association for Water Pollution Research. He served as a consultant to the National
Academy of Sciences and was on a number of committees including the United States National
Committee for the International Hydrological Decade and the Office of Science and Technology's
Committee on Water Resources Research. He was Vice-Chairman of the US National Committee for the
lAWPR, and as a member of IAWPR's Governing Board. He was also a member of the Board of
Directors of the Marine Technology Society. In 1980 he was elected a Fellow of the American Institute
of Chemical Engineers.
Most recently, he authored a book, "Which, of the 31 Zechariahs, Is Which?" The book is unique
in two ways. First, it uses subscript numbers to discriminate among the 1,443 Bible characters who share
the same name (e.g., there are 6 different Marys, 12 different Josephs and 9 different Jeremiahs
mentioned in. the Bible) and second, it allows Bible readers to search for any of these "same named Bible
characters" without also finding the mentions of the other characters who share that name. His Bible-
related findings have also been incorporated in several Bible study software programs such as those from
BibleWorks and from WORDsearch where Stephan's Biographical Bible is available. The
WORD search eBible is unique in that when the curser is hovered over any Bible character's name in the
Bible text, a "pop-up" instantly appears providing a brief biographical sketch of that person. Using
WORDsearch's "find" capability, the Bible reader can identify "who is who" among the over 3,000
individuals named in the Scriptures, find all mentions of a particular Bible character even if that person
does not have a unique name (for example, for any one of the 9 different Jeremiahs mentioned in the
Bible), and can use this feature "With any one of over 100 Bible versions including those in non-English
languages.
Even with his other achievements, he considers these "contributions to a better understanding of
God's Word" as his most important professional accomplishment,
PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Dr. David G. Stephan, retired Director of the Environmental Protection Agency's Industrial
Environmental Research Laboratory in Cincinnati (IERL-Ci), devoted the greatest part of his
professional career to research and development on solving environmental problems. He is known
internationally for his work in water pollution research, especially in the areas of advanced waste
treatment and water renovation.
Dr. Stephan's first professional employment came in 1952 at Battelle Memorial Institute where
he engaged in research on manufacturing ductile zirconium for the nation's first atomic submarine. This
was followed by classified research at the Atomic Energy Commission's Feed Materials Production
Center at Fernald, Ohio.
Dr. Stephan's first involvement in fighting pollution came in 1956 when he was tapped by the
U.S. Public Health Service to head its Air Pollution Control Equipment Research Program. Four years
later, the PHS named him Deputy Chief of its embryonic Advanced Waste Treatment Research Program.
His new post allowed him to apply his chemical engineering know-how to solving then-intractable waste
treatment problems. For his role in the AWTR Program, Dr. Stephan received the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare's Meritorious Achievement Award and the Public Health Service's Superior
Performance Award.
In 1964, Dr. Stephan was transferred to Washington and named as Deputy Chief of its Basic and
Applied Sciences Branch. In 1966, the Federal water pollution control programs were transferred to the
Department of the Interior and were consolidated in a new agency, the Federal Water Pollution Control
Administration. Dr. Stephan moved to FWPCA to become its Director of Research. In 1968, he was
named as Assistant Commissioner for Research and Development.
When the Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1970, Dr. Stephan served as
Assistant Commissioner for Research and Development of its Water Quality Office until EP A's
reorganization in mid-1971. At that time, he was named Program Management Director for EPA's
Office of Research and Development. In mid-I975, he returned to Cincinnati to head the IERL-Ci and to
serve as the EPA.'s Senior Official in the Cincinnati area. He continued his dual roles as Laboratory
Director and Senior Official until his retirement in December, 1985. Following retirement, he continued
as a part-time senior scientific consultant to the EPA and, became the "father" of the American Institute
for Pollution Prevention. This Institute served as a non-adversarial government/industry communication
channel to promote the adoption of non-pollution-creating industrial manufacturing processes.
Dr. Stephan received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in chemical engineering in 1952 from
Ohio State University. Three years later, at OSU, he earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree. His
outstanding academic record 'won him elections to such honorary scholastic societies as Phi Lambda
Upsilon (chemistry), Tau Beta Pi (engineering) and Sigma Xi (science). He was recognized for his
leadership in extracurricular activities through election to Texnikoi, OSU's activities honorary for
engineers. He was also the recipient of a Battelle Fellowship for three years running.
From 1955 to 1964, he served in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, starting as
an Assistant Sanitary Engineer (Ensign) and closing out his tour of duty as a Sanitary Engineer Director
(Captain). At the age of 32, he was, reportedly, the youngest person in the history of the Public Health
Service to hold the rank equivalent to Navy Captain. In 1970, Dr. Stephan was honored by being named
a Distinguished Alumnus of the Ohio State University College of Engineering.
Professional memberships include the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American
Chemical Society, Water Pollution Control Federation, Federal Water Quality Association, and
International Association for Water Pollution Research. He served as a consultant to the National
Academy of Sciences and was on a number of committees including the United States National
Committee for the International Hydrological Decade and the Office of Science and Technology's
Committee on Water Resources Research. He was Vice-Chairman of the US National Committee for the
lAWPR, and as a member of IAWPR's Governing Board. He was also a member of the Board of
Directors of the Marine Technology Society. In 1980 he was elected a Fellow of the American Institute
of Chemical Engineers.
Most recently, he authored a book, "Which, of the 31 Zechariahs, Is Which?" The book is unique
in two ways. First, it uses subscript numbers to discriminate among the 1,443 Bible characters who share
the same name (e.g., there are 6 different Marys, 12 different Josephs and 9 different Jeremiahs
mentioned in. the Bible) and second, it allows Bible readers to search for any of these "same named Bible
characters" without also finding the mentions of the other characters who share that name. His Bible-
related findings have also been incorporated in several Bible study software programs such as those from
BibleWorks and from WORDsearch where Stephan's Biographical Bible is available. The
WORD search eBible is unique in that when the curser is hovered over any Bible character's name in the
Bible text, a "pop-up" instantly appears providing a brief biographical sketch of that person. Using
WORDsearch's "find" capability, the Bible reader can identify "who is who" among the over 3,000
individuals named in the Scriptures, find all mentions of a particular Bible character even if that person
does not have a unique name (for example, for any one of the 9 different Jeremiahs mentioned in the
Bible), and can use this feature "With any one of over 100 Bible versions including those in non-English
languages.
Even with his other achievements, he considers these "contributions to a better understanding of
God's Word" as his most important professional accomplishment,