Stephen Patrick Line passed away suddenly on the morning of Nov. 15, 2012. He was 69 years old.

Stephen — “Pat” to family — was born in Troup County, Ga., on Aug. 19, 1943. He grew up in a Navy family and lived in Miami, Key West, Gainesville and Green Cove Springs, Fla., and Charleston, S.C. He graduated from LaGrange College, LaGrange, Ga. He also attended College of Charleston, and studied U.S. and Russian history as a graduate student at the University of North Carolina. Stephen received a JD degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minn., and was admitted to the Minnesota and Pennsylvania bars. In Minnesota, Stephen practiced law and also taught as a volunteer in the St. Paul public schools GED program. In Philadelphia, he volunteered as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor at the JEVS Center for New Americans, where he worked with Russian and Ukrainian immigrants.

Stephen and his wife Carolyn lived in St. Paul, Minn.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and Charlotte, N.C. Stephen was fond of hiking and being outdoors. Lake Superior’s North Shore in Minnesota and the Pennypack Preserve in Montgomery County, Pa., were great favorites. He was a prodigious reader of both nonfiction and classic English and American literature and had an equally prodigious memory. Over the years, he made numerous visits to historic locations in the United States and Europe. He especially liked Rome, and had a detailed knowledge of Roman history. He had a sophisticated understanding of 20th century history and was also an astute observer of recent events. His sense of humor was notably wry. He made Carolyn laugh a lot. Stephen was proud to have served in the U.S. Army. He was based in Germany and served during the Vietnam era.

Stephen and Carolyn celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in February 2012. They were the closest companions and thrived in each other’s company throughout their many moves and life events. Stephen is survived by Carolyn; his sister, Sally Hester, and her husband, Chip, of Charleston, S.C.; niece, Haley Hester, of Charleston; brother, Johnny Polzin, and sister, Pam Polzin, also of Charleston; sister-in-law, Charlotte Stephens, and her husband, Chuck, of Bucyrus, Kan.; niece, Elizabeth Stephens, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; nephew, Patrick Stephens, and his wife, Fiona Rey, of Overland Park, Kan.; and grand-niece, Zelia Stephens, of Overland Park.

A graveside memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Nov. 29, 2012, in Cedar Hill Cemetery by the Rev. Michael D. Halley. The family is being served by R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home and Crematory, 509 W. Washington St. Suffolk, VA 23434. Condolences may be registered at www.rwbakerfh.com.

Anyone wishing to make a contribution in Stephen’s memory might want to consider The LaGrange College Fund. Contributions to the fund directly help students. The address is: The LaGrange College Fund, Beth Spencer, Advancement Services, LaGrange College, 601 Broad Street, LaGrange, GA 30240.