James Edward Stebbins

James Edward Stebbins passed away on November 7, 2024, at his home and favorite place in the world, Testcombe Cottage in Chilbolton, England. Ed was born on October 4, 1938, in Little Rock, AK. He was the second son of Albert Howard Stebbins III and Elsie Mae Bellingrath Stebbins.

Ed went through the Little Rock public school system and graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1956. Ed matriculated to Harvard College where he was a member of Kirkland House and from which he graduated in the Class of 1960 with an A.B. concentrating in government. During his time at Harvard, Ed was the "femme fatale" lead in the Hasty Pudding Club's annual show and a member of the Owl Club.

In 1962, Ed married Marian Fraser Robins and produced three sons, James Edward Stebbins, Jr. of Cumberland, ME, Andrew Fraser Stebbins of San Carlos, CA and William Bradford Stebbins of Takoma Park, MD.

Ed joined the Bank of Boston in the international division and moved to Buenos Aries, Argentina in 1962, where Edward and Andrew were born. After a brief return to Boston, where William was born in 1965, Ed and his family moved again to Argentina in 1970. After witnessing the calamitous events that accompanied the 1973 return from exile of former Argentine president Juan Peron, Ed and his family moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil and eventually to Rio de Janeiro. Throughout this period, Ed worked for the Bank of Boston, eventually becoming Head of Latin America for the Bank.

In 1970, Ed and Marian's marriage ended in divorce and Marian passed away five years later in 1975. In 1976, Ed left the Bank and the family moved to the United Kingdom, where Ed became head of Triad Ltd’s. (a Saudi holding company) London Office.

In 1981, Ed married Penny Biswell, who had two children, Benjamin and Victoria. For over four decades, Ed and Penny raised their combined family and divided their time between London and Chilbolton.

Ed left Triad in 1995 and worked for several financial institutions until 2005, when Ed and Penny settled permanently in Testcombe Cottage. In 1978, Ed purchased the Testcombe estate on the Test River, which once belonged to former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli's family. One of the famous chalk streams, Ed pursued his lifelong passion for fly fishing on the River Test right up until his death on November 7. Penny passed away earlier this year on May 10.

Ed is survived by his three sons; their wives, Nicole, Kerstin and Nyambura; and his grandchildren, James, Sarah and Lauren, Hannah, Nicolas and Ava, Isabela and Samson; and his brother, T.L. Stebbins of Naples, FL.

Services will be held at Testcombe in early December 2024. Remembrances should be sent to
www.themayflyprojectuk.com.


Slightly modified from what was published in The Boston Globe November 18-19, 2024.