CDR Reynold Sefton, Jr., CEC, USN, (Ret.)

Reynold A. “Ren” Sefton, Jr., beloved husband, father and grandfather passed away on September 21, 2021, in Gulfport.  He was born on October 9, 1938, in Springfield, MA.

Ren attended Westfield High School in Westfield, MA where he was a two-time All-State football player. He entered the military after graduation and served for 37 years with 15 years as enlisted in the Seabees and 22 years as a commissioned officer in the Navy Civil Engineering Corps. He completed his college education while on active duty.

CDR Sefton was a former Commanding Officer at the Naval Construction Center (NCTC) in Gulfport, MS.  In addition to NCTC, he served at the following duty stations: Parris Island Marine Corps Station, Parris Island, SC; Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, VA; Naval Security Base, Northwest, VA; NMCB-53, NMCB-58 and 21st UCR, Davisville, Rhode Island; Bureau of Personnel (BUPERS) and the Naval Recruit Exhibit Center in Washington, D.C.; Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland; NMCB-74, 20th NCR, Naval Home, and NCBC, Gulfport, MS; ACB-1 Coronado, CA; Naval Ordnance Station Indian Head, MD; Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL; Public Works Center, San Diego CA; and SPAWAR San Diego, CA. He completed two tours of duty in Vietnam and had volunteered for a third tour when the war ended.  He was awarded numerous decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign ribbons throughout his career.  Although his blood was red, white, and blue, he retired from the Navy on July 31, 1997, so he could spend time watching his two youngest sons play high school football. He loved the military with all his heart and always was one of their top supporters.  He would never stand for anyone to put them down.

Ren worked in Pensacola, FL as an engineer for Escambia County and then Advance Construction for several years after retirement. He fully retired when his two youngest sons started playing football in college.

Ren was preceded in death by his parents, Reynold A. and Viola H. Sefton; and his son, Christopher Matthew Lee. We know that Christopher is happy to be with his dad once again and it helps to ease our soul to know that they are all smiling at the feet of Jesus.

Ren was and will continue to be the heart and soul of our family. We will miss his humor, his love, his ethics, his strength, his support, and everything about him that made him who he was and made us want to make him proud of us.  He leaves behind his loving wife of 39 years, Marilyn Joyce (Sutton) Sefton of Gulfport, whom he lovingly called his MJ.  He also leaves his son, Reynold A. Sefton, II, of Tampa, FL; his daughter, Kimberly (Marcelo) Roncal of Tampa, FL; his son, Michael (Lesley) Sefton of Gulfport; his son, Ryan (Natalie) of D’Iberville;his son, Stephen Sefton of Boston, MA; his sister, Shirley (Dick) Stewart of Mashpee, MA; his “brother” Michael (Marcie) Moore of Greenville, SC; his brother-in-law, Kenneth (Deborah) Sutton of New Hebron; and his grandchildren, Reynold Sefton, III, Melissa Sefton, Megan Roncal, Nathan Roncal, Kelsey Roncal, Derek Roncal, Sean Lee, Loren Lee, Hailey Sefton, Brody Sefton, Nolan Sefton, and Luke Sefton.

We would like to thank all the doctors, nurses, technicians, and housekeepers that adopted us, befriended us, and took care of us during the 7 weeks that Ren was in the 7th floor SICU at UAB in Birmingham, AL. They will always hold a special place in our heart.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, September 27, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at Nugent United Methodist Church on John Clark Road in Gulfport. Friends are invited to visit from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.  There will be no graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ren’s honor to Nugent United Methodist Church.

Riemann Family Funeral Home, 11280 Three Rivers Road, Gulfport, is serving the family.