Find Recent John E. Stephens Chapel Obituaries and Service Details
Looking for John E Stephens Funeral Home obituaries? The funeral provider is officially known as John E. Stephens Chapel, located in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Its obituary directory provides death notices, memorial information, funeral arrangements, visitation details and burial locations when those details have been published.
This guide brings together the funeral home’s verified contact information, a selection of recent published names, and practical instructions for finding a specific obituary, confirming a service, or locating a cemetery.
Information checked October 18, 2026. New notices and service arrangements may be added or updated after publication.
Open the official obituary search, enter the person’s name, and open the matching notice. Check the service time, location and burial details carefully. If you are attending a funeral, call the chapel to confirm any last-minute changes.
Recent John E. Stephens Chapel Obituaries
The following individuals appear among the recent obituary listings published by John E. Stephens Chapel. The dates shown are the death dates displayed in the funeral home’s listings, not necessarily funeral or visitation dates.
This is a selected reference list, not a continuously updated feed or the complete obituary archive. For notices added after this article was checked, use the official obituary directory.
- Norma Gwin RobertsonOctober 6, 2026
- Nickey Ray TownsendOctober 6, 2026
- Sarah Ruth WaddellOctober 5, 2026
- Terry Thomas LongOctober 4, 2026
- Louise GarnerOctober 2, 2026
- Robert “Bob” Wallace ThomasOctober 2, 2026
- Thomas Junior VaughnSeptember 29, 2026
- Katherine Ann Stokes LukeSeptember 28, 2026
- Lillie Josephine IsheeSeptember 27, 2026
- Billy Gene ChickawaySeptember 26, 2026
- Dwight Cody BellSeptember 25, 2026
- Jeffery Mark PilgrimSeptember 24, 2026
- Zula Mae JimSeptember 21, 2026
- Mary Jane BellSeptember 21, 2026
An obituary’s death date is not the funeral date. Services may take place several days later, and visitation might begin earlier. Always read the individual’s full notice rather than using the date in a search-results list to plan your visit.
Source: John E. Stephens Chapel official website, reviewed October 18, 2026. Additional notices, including more recent October listings, may be available in the full directory.
How to Find a John E Stephens Funeral Home Obituary
You do not need to browse hundreds of individual notices manually. The funeral home’s obituary page includes a name search and listing controls.
- Open the official obituary page Visit johnestephenschapel.com/obituaries. This is the chapel’s own obituary directory.
- Locate the name-search field Look for the search box labeled “Find by Name” under the obituary search heading.
- Enter the person’s name Start with the surname or a distinctive part of the name. For example, if searching for Sarah Ruth Waddell, try “Waddell” before adding the full name.
- Review the matching listings Compare the name and death date. If several people share a surname, check any available additional details before choosing the correct notice.
- Open the individual obituary Select the matching obituary to read the published memorial notice. Look for visitation hours, funeral location, burial cemetery and family announcements.
- Confirm time-sensitive arrangements If you plan to attend, contact the chapel at (601) 656-1515 when information is missing or potentially outdated.
What if the name search gives no results?
Try the surname alone, initials, a maiden or married name, a familiar nickname, or an alternate spelling. Some notices use a formal name while family members remember a shorter version.
Search Problem |
What to Try |
|---|---|
Full name not found |
Search only the last name or a distinctive first name. |
Different surname |
Try maiden, married, previous or family surnames. |
Nickname used |
Try both forms, such as Bob/Robert or Bill/William. |
Older obituary missing |
Check Legacy’s archive or ask the funeral home about older records. |
Recent death not listed |
Check again later or call the funeral home; not every announcement appears immediately. |
Unsure which funeral home handled arrangements |
Search Philadelphia, Mississippi obituaries and compare the listed funeral provider. |
What Information Can You Find in an Obituary?
A funeral home obituary may answer several important questions in one place. However, the amount of information depends on what the family and funeral provider have chosen to publish.
Personal and Family Details
- Full name and commonly used name
- Age and date of death
- Birthplace or residence
- Surviving or deceased relatives
- Family history and life achievements
Funeral and Memorial Details
- Visitation dates and hours
- Funeral or memorial service time
- Church, chapel or other venue
- Burial or graveside location
- Memorial gifts or condolence options
Not all obituary notices contain every detail. Some families arrange a private service, omit a cemetery name, or announce memorial arrangements later.
Start with the obituary’s interment or graveside-service section. Write down the exact cemetery name and community. If there is no cemetery listed, the funeral home may be able to clarify the published arrangements or explain how to contact the appropriate cemetery office.
Funeral Services, Visitation Times and Upcoming Arrangements
John E. Stephens Chapel handles services that may take place at the chapel, churches, community facilities, cemeteries or other venues. That means the funeral home’s street address is not automatically the address where every service occurs.
Recent examples of published service arrangements
These examples illustrate how notices distinguish funeral, visitation and cemetery locations. They refer to October 2026 services that have already taken place, not upcoming events.
Individual |
Published Arrangement |
Location Detail |
|---|---|---|
Norma Gwin Robertson |
Graveside service: October 9, 2026, at 11 a.m.; no visitation listed. |
Sandtown Methodist Cemetery |
Nickey Ray Townsend |
Graveside service: October 11, 2026, at 2 p.m.; visitation at the chapel from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. |
Fellowship Cemetery |
Sarah Ruth Waddell |
Funeral: October 9, 2026, at 2 p.m.; visitation October 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. |
Chapel service; interment at Mt. Carmel Cemetery |
Louise Garner |
Funeral: October 4, 2026, at 2 p.m.; visitation from noon to 2 p.m. |
Chapel service; interment at Good Hope Cemetery |
These arrangements are summarized from funeral-home notices published in the Philadelphia, Mississippi obituary listings. They are provided as historical examples and should not be treated as current event notices.
How to confirm an upcoming funeral
- Find the most recent full obituary Check the date on the notice and whether the family has announced final arrangements.
- Identify the exact service type A visitation, funeral, celebration of life, memorial service and graveside service may have different times or locations.
- Record the venue Note the building name, street address, cemetery name, town and any additional directions.
- Check for changes If the notice says arrangements are pending, or the event involves travel, phone the funeral home before leaving.
The chapel also maintains an official upcoming-services page. A blank upcoming-services calendar does not necessarily mean no arrangements are being planned; individual obituaries may provide more current details.
John E. Stephens Chapel Address, Phone Number and Directions
Verified Funeral Home Contact Details
Business name: John E. Stephens Chapel
Street address: 812 Pecan Avenue, Philadelphia, MS 39350
County: Neshoba County, Mississippi
Telephone: (601) 656-1515
Official website: johnestephenschapel.com
Contact page: Official Contact Information
Directions: View the chapel address on Google Maps
Philadelphia is in east-central Mississippi. If you are visiting from outside the area, confirm the correct destination before traveling. Funeral services handled by the chapel may take place at a church, family or community location, or cemetery rather than at 812 Pecan Avenue.
Office availability and visitation schedules are not the same thing. Call the chapel to confirm office access, appointment needs, service locations and any accessibility arrangements.
How to Find Older John E Stephens Chapel Obituaries
Many people searching for this funeral home need an older notice rather than a recent announcement. Older obituaries can be valuable for family history, cemetery research and verifying relationships.
Method 1: Search the chapel’s own directory
Start at the official obituary archive. Use the surname and any available date or alphabetical controls. Search different name variations rather than assuming that one unsuccessful attempt means the notice does not exist.
Method 2: Check the funeral home’s Legacy listing
Legacy’s John E. Stephens Chapel page provides another route to notices associated with this provider.
Legacy also offers a broader Philadelphia, Mississippi obituary directory. Be sure the obituary is attributed to the correct funeral home, since several funeral providers serve the area.
Method 3: Use a focused search query
If the obituary directory is difficult to navigate, try searching Google or Bing for the exact person’s name together with the chapel’s name or website. For example:
Alternatively, enter a query beginning with site:johnestephenschapel.com followed by the person’s surname. This limits results to pages indexed from the chapel’s website, although not every older page will necessarily be indexed.
Method 4: Request help from the funeral home
If the death occurred years ago or the online obituary is no longer available, call (601) 656-1515. Give the person’s full name, approximate year of death and any known family information.
Ask whether the chapel has a historical notice or can identify the publication or cemetery involved. Records availability and access policies may vary, and an older notice is not guaranteed to be retained.
How to Find a Cemetery or Burial Location from an Obituary
An obituary can be the first step toward finding a person’s final resting place. In Neshoba County and surrounding Mississippi communities, burial arrangements may involve church cemeteries, family burial grounds, community cemeteries and municipal cemeteries.
The cemetery listed in a funeral notice may also be outside Philadelphia. Always record both the cemetery name and its associated town or community.
- Read the full obituary Look for wording such as “interment,” “burial,” “laid to rest,” or “graveside services.”
- Write down the exact cemetery name Include spelling, city, community and county. Cemeteries in different areas sometimes have similar names.
- Determine whether burial actually occurred there A cemetery named as a service location is a useful clue, but the final interment should be verified separately when possible.
- Ask the cemetery for its interment register Request the burial date, section, lot, plot, row and grave number if available.
- Use supporting records Check cemetery records, headstone photographs, death records or family documentation to verify the identity.
A notice for Sarah Ruth Waddell named Mt. Carmel Cemetery as the interment location. To identify the precise grave, the next step is to determine which cemetery office or caretaker maintains that location and ask for the burial register. Do not assume a cemetery name alone provides a confirmed plot number.
Which source is best for your situation?
Your Goal |
Best Starting Source |
Information to Request |
|---|---|---|
Find burial cemetery |
Full funeral home obituary |
Interment cemetery and associated community |
Find exact grave plot |
Cemetery caretaker or office |
Section, lot, plot, row and grave number |
Confirm the person’s death |
Official Mississippi vital-record system |
Death certificate, subject to eligibility requirements |
Research older family records |
State archives, obituary archives and local library collections |
Historical notices, cemetery transcriptions and family records |
Locate a qualifying veteran burial |
VA Nationwide Gravesite Locator |
Cemetery and grave location when covered by the locator |
Official records that may help
Mississippi State Department of Health
Mississippi’s official health department provides vital-record information, including procedures for requesting death records. Eligibility, required identification and applicable fees depend on the record and requester.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History
For older family history, the state archives may help identify historical record collections, local history materials or genealogical research resources.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
The Nationwide Gravesite Locator helps locate many burials in VA national cemeteries and certain other covered veterans’ burial locations. It is not a complete database of all veteran graves.
For a broader burial-research workflow, visit our Find a Graves research guide, which explains how to compare cemetery records, death certificates, family documents and official grave-location resources.
Sending Flowers, Sharing Condolences and Remembering a Loved One
After locating an obituary, you may want to send a message, arrange flowers or share a memorial with relatives. The options available depend on the individual obituary and the family’s preferences.
Send Flowers
Check the obituary for flower-delivery instructions, service locations and family preferences. If flowers are accepted, confirm the delivery deadline and correct venue before ordering.
Leave a Condolence
Some memorial pages provide a message or tribute feature. If an option is available, keep your message respectful and avoid sharing private family details without permission.
Make a Memorial Donation
When the notice specifies a charity, church or memorial fund, follow those instructions. Do not assume the family prefers donations over flowers unless stated.
Share an Obituary
Copy the specific obituary URL rather than only the funeral home’s homepage. This helps friends and family access the correct memorial information.
John E. Stephens Chapel also describes its approach to memorial services and remembrance on its Honoring Life page.
When and How to Contact John E. Stephens Chapel
Contacting the funeral home directly is especially useful when service details are incomplete, a recent obituary has not appeared, or you need help confirming arrangements.
Have these details ready before calling
- The person’s first and last name
- Approximate date of death
- Known city or county of residence
- The information you need: obituary, service time, burial location or historical record
- Your preferred method of receiving any available information
Telephone: (601) 656-1515
For written inquiries, use the funeral home’s official contact page. If the matter is urgent, the funeral home recommends contacting its staff by telephone.
A published obituary is not the same as an official death certificate or complete funeral-home record. Private family information, unpublished records and certain documents may not be available to the general public.
Related Grave and Family History Research
If your search continues beyond an obituary, these sections of FindAGraves.com may help:
- Find a Graves homepage — use the main site for burial-record research. If a section-specific anchor is unavailable, use the main research homepage.
- Official burial and genealogy resources — start with the homepage’s official-source research options.
- Grave search and cemetery verification — consult the homepage’s practical grave-research guidance.
These internal links lead to the site’s existing research homepage and relevant guidance areas rather than assuming unpublished article URLs exist.
John E Stephens Funeral Home Obituaries: 10 Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where can I find John E Stephens Funeral Home obituaries?
The primary source is the official John E. Stephens Chapel obituary directory. Search by name and open the matching notice for available memorial and funeral details.
2. Is John E. Stephens Funeral Home located in Philadelphia, Mississippi?
Yes. The business publishes its name as John E. Stephens Chapel. Its verified address is 812 Pecan Avenue, Philadelphia, MS 39350, in Neshoba County.
3. What is the John E. Stephens Chapel phone number?
The funeral home’s published telephone number is (601) 656-1515. Call to ask about a published notice, confirm a service location or seek information about arrangements.
4. Can I search older John E Stephens obituaries?
Yes. Begin with the chapel’s obituary directory. You can also check its Legacy listing, search by surname and approximate death year, or contact the funeral home about historical notices.
5. Are funeral and visitation times included in obituaries?
Often they are. A full obituary may include the funeral date, visitation hours, church or chapel address, cemetery and officiant. Some arrangements are private or announced later, so details vary by notice.
6. How do I find out where someone was buried?
Read the obituary for its burial or interment section, then confirm the exact cemetery and grave location with the cemetery’s records. A funeral notice may name a cemetery without specifying the plot.
7. What if I cannot find a recent death notice?
Try a different spelling or surname, check the official page again, and verify which funeral home handled arrangements. Notices sometimes appear after a delay, and some families do not publish an online obituary.
8. Can I send flowers through John E. Stephens Chapel?
The chapel provides flower and gift-related resources. Check the specific obituary for family preferences and service information before ordering, and confirm the delivery location with the provider.
9. Are all John E. Stephens Chapel funeral services held at the chapel?
No. Services may take place at churches, cemeteries, community buildings or other locations. Read the specific notice carefully and verify the address before traveling.
10. Can an obituary be used as an official death record?
No. An obituary can support family or historical research, but it is not an official death certificate. For certified Mississippi death records, consult the state’s vital-record procedures and eligibility requirements.