Autry Stephens sold his company for $26 billion but died before the deal was done. Here's how a Texas farm boy became an oil tycoon.

• Autry Stephens sold his oil company for $26 billion but died before the deal was completed.
• The Texan farm boy became an oil tycoon by betting big, minimizing costs, and working tirelessly.
• Here's a closer look at Stephens' life and the monster deal he struck months before his death.

Autry Stephens spent 45 years building one of the nation's largest private oil producers and finally agreed to sell it for $26 billion this year — but died before the deal closed.

The Texas farm boy became an oil tycoon by taking big risks, pinching pennies, hustling hard, and finding ways to survive when others failed. Here's the story of his life and his last big deal.