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Stephen (as he chose to be called) was sent to St. Paul’s College (high school) in Covington, Louisiana, and stayed 10 years. In 1937 he was sent to the brothers’ international motherhouse, by then in Rome, for a year of special studies. After teaching two years at Landry Memorial High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana, 1938-1940, he received the first of many assignments as an administrator: community director and school principal at Hanson Memorial High School in Franklin, Louisiana, 1940-1946, then at St. Peter’s College (high school) in New Iberia, Louisiana, 1946-1949, and at Cathedral High School in Lafayette, 1949-1952.
He served as director general of De La Salle (commonly called Magnolia) in Lafayette, 1954-1960. At his request he had the summer off for a 100-day personal renewal program in Compton, Canada. He was then assigned to teach at Cathedral High School in El Paso, Texas, and in January 1963 was appointed community director and school principal. He served until 1972, and was then sent to Mullen High School in Denver, Colorado, where he spent the next 14 years, first as a teacher, then two as community director and school principal, 1973-1975. Failing health forced him to retire in 1986, and he was sent to the retirement community at De La Salle in Lafayette. Br. Stephen was a very outgoing, friendly man who never met anyone he didn’t like. He became well-known, respected and popular wherever he went, whatever he did. Many people—confrères, former students, lay friends, pastors, parents, former employees—sent testimonial letters after his death. A few samples: “He was lovable and friendly, really a brother’s brother” (a confrère). “His effectiveness as a teacher sprang mainly not from elaborate methods but from his kindness and his understanding of his students’ limitations and problems. The boys loved him; he was ever the gentleman towards them” (a confrère in El Paso). “He will never know the influence he radiated around the school” (former student in Denver). “He loved God; he loved life; he loved us all. He touched many lives during his years as a teacher and an administrator, and he continued to have a great impact on our lives after we were no longer in his company” (a lay friend in El Paso). To Brother Stephen we were always his “Good Boys,” perhaps because we were Christian Brothers boys. [Source: New Orleans-Santa Fe District, 2014, Christian Brothers and affiliates in the South and Southwest since 1851 who died in April, see https://delasalle.org/nosf-images/Necro04AprilFinal.pdf]
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