* George A. Stephen Jr.; His Weber Charcoal Grills Sold Millions

George A. Stephen Jr., 71, creator of the Weber grill used by millions of Americans for outdoor cooking. Stephen invented his kettle-shaped grill in the early 1950s while he was owner of Weber Bros. Metal Works. Since then, the new company he founded, Weber Grill Co., has sold 10 million charcoal grills and more than 3 million that are fueled by gas or propane. He said he got the idea for the design, which permits regulating the flow of oxygen and heat, after he built an outdoor brick grill that burned everything to a crisp. In Kildeer, Ill., on Thursday of unreported causes.