Bob Stephens

I continue to limit my law practice to Social Security disability.  My home and office are in Spokane.  Since our Spokane Social Security hearing office serves Eastern Washington, North Idaho, and a portion of Northeastern Oregon, I represent disability claimants from all over that region.

My wife Sharon and I recently celebrated our 20th anniversary – quite an accomplishment for someone who failed to make it to his third anniversary the first two times around.  Our son Nathan recently graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane and plans to matriculate at WSU this fall, although his Dad wished he would attend the U of I, as he, his parents and siblings all did.  Because of Nathan’s participation in advanced placement classes in high school, he will receive credit for a number of first year college courses without having to take them.

I am very proud of Sharon, who has become quite the executive at a local employee-owned pharmacy, which employs around fifty people and where she is the personnel director and second in command.

My interest in photography continues.  I place most of my photographic efforts these days on wildlife.  I actively compete in monthly print competitions at the Spokane Valley Camera Club, which a year ago asked me to serve as its president.  (I will be starting my second year in that capacity the Monday after our class reunion.)  I have fantasies that I may become a “professional” wildlife photographer after retiring from law practice, if I ever manage to retire and if I still have the intellect and vision to do quality photography by then.  (Since Nathan is just starting college, I expect to be unable to afford to retire for a number of years.)

Whenever we can afford the time and travel expense, Sharon and I like to visit areas where we can observe and I photograph birds and other wildlife.

I am fortunate to have my brother Don and most of his family living nearby in Spokane and my sister Kathy living in Pullman with much of her family.  (She teaches marketing at the U of I.)  We had the misfortune of losing our Mom in May of 2009.  Dad had died about six years earlier.  With the loss of our parents, we seem to feel a need for closer relationships with our siblings.

I become less efficient each year, but am thankful that, so far, Sharon, Nathan, and I have our health, our work, our outside interests, and each other.  It will be quite an adjustment for Sharon and me not to have Nathan with us, and it’s hard to imagine him functioning on his own at WSU.