Delta Sigma Phi mourns the passing of Stephen Pepoon, a member of the Alpha Upsilon Chapter at Kansas State University (’75), who built an extraordinary career as a writer and producer in television.

Pepoon passed away unexpectedly on May 3 outside his home in Paola, Kansas. He had been in treatment for a heart condition, cardiac amyloidosis, for the past two years, his wife, Mary Stephenson, shared with The Hollywood Reporter.

At Paola High School, Pepoon wrote for the student newspaper and became a devoted fan of The Dick Van Dyke Show, which centered on a TV comedy writer. “This planted the seed of Steve’s career dream to become a screenwriter,” his family noted.

After graduating from Kansas State University in 1978, Pepoon worked at a shoe store to save enough money to move to Los Angeles the following year. Determined to break into television, he supported himself with a range of jobs—working as a bank teller, flipping hamburgers, managing a drive-in theater, and running a video arcade—while writing 35 scripts on spec before selling his first.

His breakthrough came in the 1980s when he began writing for television comedies. Over the next two decades, Pepoon built an impressive list of credits, including It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, ALF, and Roseanne. As a freelancer, he wrote an episode of The Simpsons, “Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment,” which earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 1991. Later, he co-created The Wild Thornberrys, the acclaimed Nickelodeon animated series that ran from 1998 to 2004 and became beloved for its sense of adventure and heart.

Pepoon’s work displayed a rare combination of humor, imagination, and empathy. Whether writing for sitcoms or creating animated stories that inspired younger audiences, he had a gift for finding connection through laughter. His creative perseverance—from small-town Kansas to Hollywood—embodied the spirit of dedication and integrity that Delta Sigma Phi strives to cultivate in its members.

We extend our deepest condolences to Stephen’s wife, Mary, and to his family, friends, and Alpha Upsilon brothers. His legacy endures through the stories he told, the characters he brought to life, and the joy he shared with audiences around the world.