Mamie J. Stephens is a native of Camilla, Georgia.  She is the eldest of three children born to Carrie Mae Thomas and Henry L. Jess.

Mrs. Stephens received her early education in the public school system of Camilla and earned her Bachelors in business Administration Degree from the University of Georgia, where she attended on a four-year scholarship.  She also studied at Albany State College where she majored in nutrition.  After relocating to New York City, she continued her educational pursuits by attending Hunter College where she received her Masters in Business Administration.

Mrs. Stephens gained employment with the New York City Department of Hospitals, working in the Dietary Department as Administrator of Dietitians and in the Purchasing Department.  She continued what would become a long and stellar career in this field at Mt. Sinai Hospital where she was a Food Cost Analyst, Purchasing Director and Food Service Supervisor.

At United Jewish Appeal Federation, Mrs. Stephens broke both racial and gender barriers, by becoming the first African-American woman Purchasing Agent.  She retired from UJA after an outstanding tenure spanning twenty-five years.

Mamie J. Stephens is the widow of Harry Stephens, Jr., Grand Treasurer of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge.  She is a long-time member of Union Baptist Church in New York City where she sang in the G. H. Sims Sanctuary Choir and worked with the Sunday School Department.  Mrs. Stephens was a New York State Licensed Beautician and in her leisure time, she enjoyed fishing, music and dancing.

Sister Stephens joined Beacon Light Chapter, Prince Hall Order Easter Star in 1974.  She was elected to serve as Worthy Matron in 1978.  After leaving the East she continued to work diligently in Eureka Grand Chapter.  Sister Stephens served as Convention Director under five administrations.  She was appointed District Deputy Grand Matron and also served on the Ways and Means, Arts and Crafts, Budget and Camp Eureka Board and many other committees.  A woman of enormous energy, she worked tirelessly as a member of the Board of Directors for the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge's Day Care Center and was the manager of Prince Hall Temple Association's Club 54 since 1986.

Other Prince Hall Family affiliations are membership in Manhattan Assembly No. 3, Order of the Golden Circle, Past Royal Commandress of St. Helena Royal Court No. 4, Order of Cyrene, where she was Treasurer for four years and Convention Chairperson for the Most Royal Prince Hall Grand Court, Order of Cyrene.  She was an Honorary Past Commandress of Medina Court No. 11, Daughters of Isis.

Mamie J. Stephens was elected and served as a Grand Trustee and then as Grand Treasurer of Eureka Grand Chapter.  In 2004, she was elected to the highest office a Sisten can attain in an Easter Star organization, that of Grand Worthy Matron.

She distinguished herself by her dynamic leadership, making the welfare and betterment of the Order first and foremost.  As Grand Worthy Matron, she worked without ceasing to grow and improve the Order.  One of her proudest moments was the restoration of the Charter of Mizpah Chapter of No. 13.  She was tireless in her efforts to aid charitable organizations, both within and outside of the Grand Chapter.  Her Special Project Awards Drawings in 2004 and 2005 afforded financial support to Camp Eureka, a Class "A" camp located in Roscoe, New York, and Nellie B. Lofthouse Student Assistance Fund, which awarded scholarships to six (6) college-bound students in 2005.  Among the other programs that benefited from the Grand Chapter's fundraising efforts were, the American Cancer Society, Vincent E. Stackhouse Scholarship Fund and NAACP Legal Defense Fund.  GMW Stephens encouraged the Sisters to join with the American Cancer Society in the annual Relay for Life and was pleased by the participation of so many.

Past Grand Worthy Matron Stephens was a member of the Conference of Grand Masters and Grand Chapters and served on the Registration Committee.  In May 2006 she was the Host Grand Matron for the Conference; held in Rochester, New York.

In December 2006, Past Grand Worthy Matron Mamie J. Stephens continued to demonstrate her commitment and resolve to do whatever must be done for the good of the Order by returning to the East in Beacon Light Chapter No. 58 as Worthy Matron.

As Grand Worthy Matron her theme was "Develop a Vision of Victory"; and her leadership of Eureka Grand Chapter showed that these were not mere words on paper.  Her vision for our future, her strength of character, her willingness to persevere against formidable odds, her determination to stand up for the courage of her convictions, leaves a legacy for those who came after her to build on and to continue moving this great organization toward victory.

She was preceded in death by a mother, Carrie Thomas; a sister, Doris Jenkins; an aunt, Ruth Ellen Daniels; and a niece, Joy Thomas.

She departed this life on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

She is survived by a brother, Otis (Gwendolyn) Thomas of Ellicot City, Maryland; a brother-in-law, C. J. Jenkins of Camilla, Georgia; two nieces, Portia (Jimmy) Ross of Camilla, Georgia, Gale Thomas of Brentwood, Tennessee; three nephews, Gary (Mavis) Jenkins of Camilla, Georgia, Eric (Sara) Thomas of Charlottesville, Virginia, Michael Thomas of Ellicot City, Maryland; close cousins, Eddie Hicks and Ricky Hicks of Missouri; several great nieces, and nephews, other relatives and friends.