Stephen Wilson Elliott passed away the morning of Aug. 23, 2016 while awaiting a lung transplant. He was 61. He was loved deeply by his wife, Sheryl Lyn, and adored by his children and grandchild.


Stephen was born in Portland, Oregon, raised in Tulsa and resided in Edmond. Despite his prolific accomplishments as a lawyer, Stephen considered family as his greatest achievement. With an endless passion for law, it was in a courtroom lobby where Stephen exited an elevator and met Sheryl. After three dates, they were engaged. After nine months, they were married.

As an attorney at Phillips Murrah, P.C., and recognized as a member of the Super Lawyers from 2010 until his death, Stephen had an absolute passion for the law and enjoyed mentoring students as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City University School of Law from 2003-05. Armed with a brilliant mind and a wicked sense of humor, Stephen was a wise man with an affinity for silly jokes. His three-hour exams were merciless and simultaneously hilarious in how they were presented. Students often were given extra credit if their creativity made Stephen laugh. Widely respected in the legal community, fellow lawyers considered Stephen to be an evil genius in his ability to resolve any issue presented. He was listed by the Best Lawyers of America and recognized as 2016 Lawyer of the Year for Oklahoma City Metro. Stephen was a member of the Oklahoma Bar, Oklahoma County Bar and American Bar associations.

Stephen and Sheryl loved to travel and spend time with family and friends. Stephen’s other passions were golf, playing guitar and watching sports. Fittingly, his home office is adorned with autographed pictures of golfer John Daly, singer James Taylor and pitcher Nolan Ryan. His father, Arthur, served as Director of Broadcasting for the Houston Astros and Stephen grew up a huge Astros fan. Despite not finishing high school and supporting himself by playing in a band,

Stephen graduated with honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law with a Juris Doctorate in 1981 and was a lifelong fan of the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. A Director and Litigation attorney, Stephen was admitted to practice law in the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts in Oklahoma and Texas, the U.S. District Courts in Oklahoma and Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th and 5th Circuits, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Stephen is survived by two brothers, Art and Mike, both of Austin, Texas. Married for 31 years, Stephen and Sheryl were blessed with a daughter, Sadie L. Elliott, and a son, Stephen A. Elliott, his wife Brooke and granddaughter Allison, all of Edmond. Stephen was preceded in death by his father, Arthur, and mother, Florence. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Muscular Dystrophy Association or to a charity of your choice would be appreciated. A celebration of Stephen’s life was held Aug. 28, 2016 at 2 p.m. in the Sam Noble Special Events Center at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.