Virginia “Ginny” Stephens passed away on July 18.
Ginny and her spouse, Robert “Bob” (deceased 2018) Stephens both spent the majority of their professional careers teaching at UNCG before retiring in 1994. She was the first director of the UNCG social work program, and an architect of Joint Master of Social Work Program of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and UNCG. Stephens served as the Chairman of the Social Work Department from 1976- 1979 and from 1984 – 1990. She specialized in gerontology and social issues of aging. She won her school’s outstanding teaching award in 1993 and was named Greensboro’s social worker of the year in 1994.
The Stephens lived in Greensboro for 50 years before moving to Raleigh in 2011. They used their retirement to travel extensively from Africa to Australia, New Zealand, Central America, and Europe as well as across the United States.Ginny remained active in volunteering following her retirement in both Greensboro and Raleigh.
The family will have a private memorial service. Condolences can be sent to the family at: 1613 Whittington Dr, Raleigh, NC 27614.
Those wishing to honor Ginny Stephens’ life are encouraged to make a contribution to either the Alzheimer’s Association or to the Mereb Mossman and Virginia Stephens Scholarship Fund in Social Work at the UNCG., noting the name of the scholarship in the donation.
