Caril V. Stephens

Mr. Caril V. Stephens, 95, a resident of the Green House at Seashore Highlands Retirement Community, formerly of Long Beach, Mississippi, died peacefully on Monday, October 27, 2025.

Caril was born in Golden, Mississippi, on September 3, 1930, to Ernest Alvin Stephens and Emma Ann Shields Stephens. At a young age, his family moved to a small farm in the Ozark Community outside of Marietta, Mississippi. There he grew up as the youngest child in a large family of seven children. Several years after his mother’s death, his father remarried, and Caril soon had another brother. Caril graduated from Itawamba County Agricultural High School in 1949 and then enrolled at Itawamba Junior College where he attended classes for one year. On August 5, 1950, he married his high school sweetheart, Lois V. Cleveland. Caril showed his love for Lois in countless ways, not the least of which was his care for her in the later years of her life as her health declined significantly, and continuing until her death in February of 2002.

Soon after Caril and Lois married, they moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where they braved the cold winter months while Caril worked in an automobile assembly plant. He was drafted into the U. S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Inducted in military service in 1952, he did his basic training at Schofield Barracks, on Oahu, Hawaii, and then served the remainder of his two-year tour of duty in Germany.

After being honorably discharged in 1954, Caril returned to Mississippi and again enrolled at Itawamba Junior College. He subsequently transferred to Mississippi State College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1956. Upon graduation, he and his young family moved to Natchez, Mississippi, where he taught at Natchez High School for a year before accepting a position with the Social Security Administration. Caril served the agency with increasing responsibility in various supervisory or management positions in five southern states, including two assignments in Gulfport, Mississippi, until his retirement in 1995 after 38 years of service. He was humbled and proud to have served the agency and to have assisted thousands of people over the years.

Having met at church and attended grief counseling sessions together, in August of 2005, Caril married Virginia Seibert. They were deeply committed to one another and were fortunate to travel the world during their 20 years of marriage.

Everywhere Caril and Lois moved, and throughout his marriage to Virginia, they were active in the United Methodist Church. Their faith was the bedrock of their lives. Throughout his life, and particularly in his later years, Caril often marveled how God had blessed him, and his family. Over the years, Caril served on countless local church committees and commissions, particularly at Trinity United Methodist Church in Gulfport and Christ United Methodist Church in Long Beach, as well as various district and conference boards.

Caril believed in community service and throughout his life sought ways to give back to the communities that had blessed him and his family. He was a life member of Kiwanis International and, before his health restricted his mobility, had 30+ years of perfect attendance. He often could be found working at the annual Kiwanis pancake day or at Jones Park helping with the annual Kiwanis kite derby. Caril served with distinction as Secretary and President of the Gulfport Club and later as Lt. Governor of Division 14 (South Mississippi). He also attended several international Kiwanis conventions both in the continental United States and beyond.

Caril was a member of the Kirkville (Mississippi) Masonic Lodge #517 for over 70 years of the Scottish Rite of Gulfport, a 32nd degree Mason, and a Shriner of the Joppa Temple. At various times, he served on local community boards, including the local board of Seashore Highlands, and as a volunteer of the South Mississippi Council on Aging.

In addition to his parents, Caril was preceded in death by his brothers and sisters, Dave Early Stephens, James Monroe Stephens, Leema Mae Stephens Ozbirn, Audrey Stephens Franks, Viola Stephens George, Emmie Sue Stephens Culver and Ernest Lynn Stephens.

He is survived by his wife, Virginia; his children, the Rev. Canon Paul Stephens (Martha) of Long Beach, Mississippi, Diane Stephens of Atlanta, Georgia, and Phillip Stephens (Janell) of Talladega, Alabama; two step-sons, Blair and Todd Seibert (Jelinda) all of Las Vegas, Nevada; grandchildren Nason Stephens (Coarie) of Columbus, Mississippi, Lucy Stephens Tribble of Poplarville, Mississippi, Haley Stephens Sly (Grant) of Hoover, Alabama, Shelby Stephens Cheshier (Hunter) of Huntsville, Alabama, Joseph Stephens (Leigh Ellen), Jonathan Stephens (fiancé Hannah), and Luke Stephens (Morgan) all of Hoover, Alabama, and Jackson Stephens of Starkville, Mississippi; 16 great grandchildren, and countless cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport, beginning at 11:00 a.m. The funeral service will be at 12:15 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Interment will be in Biloxi National Cemetery with military honors by the United States Army at 1:30 p.m. Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport, is honored to serve the family of Caril V. Stephens.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites friends to remember Caril with donations to Methodist Senior Services, Sunday Fund, P. O. Box 1567, Tupelo, Mississippi 38802-1567; the American Diabetes Association, P. O. Box 7023, Merrifield, Virginia 22116-7023; or the Arthritis Foundation, P. O. Box 96280, Washington, D. C. 20077.