-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 SxDPEwN+CbkS6WRip+9mDTo9WCY7N0x+AhQo8CI0VUPmMf7YhO1gdH01PUrNES3E
 1ZeK+k8Z7FcknTyS9tbOdQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001244290-03-000009.txt : 20030819
<SEC-HEADER>0001244290-03-000009.hdr.sgml : 20030819
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030819181944
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001244290-03-000009
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030815
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030819

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WEHMER EDWARD J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001244290

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04462
		FILM NUMBER:		03856730

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORP
		STREET 2:		C/O VEDDER PRICE 222 N LASALLE ST
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60601

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			STEPAN CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000094049
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SOAP, DETERGENT, CLEANING PREPARATIONS, PERFUMES, COSMETICS [2840]
		IRS NUMBER:				361823834
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		EDENS & WINNETKA RDS
		CITY:			NORTHFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60093
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8474467500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		EDENS & WINNETKA ROAD
		CITY:			NORTHFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60093

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	STEPAN CHEMICAL CO /DE/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19840108
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-15</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000094049</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STEPAN CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SCL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001244290</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WEHMER EDWARD J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>22 W. FRONTAGE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORTHFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60093</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>23.70</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature
></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes/><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Kathleen M. Owens, Power of Attorney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>wehmerpoa.txt
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of F. Samuel Eberts III and Kathleen M. Owens, signing singly,
the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity
as an officer and/or director of Stepan Company (the "Company"),
Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which
may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5,
complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and file such form
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock
exchange or similar authority; and

(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to,
in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of
the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and
shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in
such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might
or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or
such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,
in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not
assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to
the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the
Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 18th day of August, 2003.


Signature:  /s/ Kathleen M. Owens, Power of Attorney

Print Name:  Kathleen M. Owens

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
