Philip Charles Stephens

Phillip Charles Stephens, our loving and very loved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend passed away to eternal rest on August 18, 2022 at the age of 28. Phillip was born on January 5, 1994 and grew up in New Orleans, LA. He was Christened at St. Raphael Catholic church in New Orleans, LA and received his First Communion and the Right of Confirmation at St Andrews the Apostle Catholic Church in New Orleans, LA. While in High School, he was in the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra as a Percussionist and was a member of the New Orleans chapter of Jack and Jill of America, inc. He graduated from Isidore Newman High School in 2012 and went on to graduate on a full scholarship from Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA), with honors and Phi Beta Kappa, in 2016, majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics. In addition to attending Morehouse School of Medicine, Phillip was a medical researcher, working at universities’ labs all over the country including, University of Chicago, The Rockefeller University, Louisiana State University, Harvard College and Morehouse College. He was also the recipient of the D. Delmar Edwards, M.D. Endowed Scholarship and the Dr. Carol Epsy-Wilson STEM Initiative Pettigrew Scholarship. Like most New Orleans natives, Phillip had a deep love of sports and food. Phillip was an athlete participating in football, javelin, hammer throw, shot put and discus in High School and College. He was a NCAA Division II South All-Region athlete, SIAC Conference Champion and SIAC Track and Field First Team All-Conference. He loyally followed any basketball team that Phill Jackson coached and the Saints, spending hours watching and discussing sports with his brothers and friends. He was also a true polymath, avid reader, and student of excellence. Phillip was always providing the family with morsels of trivia, new practices or new book recommendations. Phillip loved to cook and try new recipes. While living with his brothers and parents during the COVID pandemic, Phillip and his mother found recipes and made new dishes almost every night. He introduced us all too various cooking styles such as sous vide cooking. He was also a foodie with a sophisticated and eclectic palate. He was frequently entrusted with picking out the best restaurants for family dinners. Lastly, if Phillip wasn’t reading, cooking or traveling, you could find him immersed in a new video game. His favorite opponents were his brothers, but he was always ready to take on any challenger. Phillip was preceded in death by Sharon K. Stephens (Denver, CO) and Charles H.D. Bowers, Jr MD. Phillip is survived by his father and mother, Pastor Kevin U. Stephens, Sr. MD JD and Dr. Cheryll Bowers-Stephens MD; 2 brothers and sister-in-law, Dr. Kevin U. Stephens, Jr. MD and his wife, Vanessa Stephens JD (Atlanta, GA); and Jacob M. K. Stephens (New York, NY); his grandparents, Rev. and Mrs. Ulysse Stephens (Gonzales, LA) and Violet G. Bowers; his aunts and uncle Karla S. Lewis (Denver, CO), Phillipa L. Bowers, JD and Dr. Charles H.D.Bowers, III MD and his wife, Vicky Bowers, JD (Lafayette, LA); cousins, Karlise J. Lewis (Denver, CO) and Cassie P. Bowers (Lafayette, LA), and a hosts of relatives and friends. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Funeral Service at Christian Unity Baptist Church, 1700 Conti Street New Orleans, LA 70112 on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at 1:00 pm. Visitation will begin at 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Interment: Lakelawn Cemetery, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124. Arrangements by D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70125. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the online guestbook. The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude for the overwhelming amount of love and support shown to them during their moment of bereavement. No act of kindness has gone unnoticed. Please continue to keep this family in your thoughts and prayers. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Phillip’s life to: New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute (NOCHI). Donate Online: https://www.nochi.org/donate-2. If donating online, please write “In Memory of Phillip Charles Stephens” in the Comments section on the Donate page. Makes checks payable to NOCHI, with “In Memory of Phillip Charles Stephens” in the For/Memo section on the check, and send to the following address: NOCHI Development Office at 725 Howard Ave, Suite 101, New Orleans, LA 70130.