Ronald "Ron"

Civils Jr.

Ronald “Ron” Civils Jr., 68, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, passed away on November 12, 2026, at Duke University Hospital following a long battle with heart-related complications.

Ron was the son of the late Ronald Civils Sr. and Mary Branch Civils. He is survived by his wife, Kandace “Kandy” Keller Civils; son, Alex Civils; daughter, Meredith Civils Conti; brother, Jason Civils, and his wife, Dawn; sister-in-law, Courtney White, and her husband, Steve White; niece, Morgan Blizzard; nephew, Mason Civils; and his beloved dogs, Josh and Penny.

Born in Washington, North Carolina, Ron grew up in Jacksonville. In 1977, he began his career as an optician, working alongside his father at the family business, Onslow Optical. He eventually retired in 2026 after 12 years with Coastal Eye Clinic of New Bern.

Throughout his career, Ron was known for his caring and considerate service to his customers. He took pride in going above and beyond, often delivering glasses to customers' homes after hours to ensure they had what they needed. His dedication and kindness left a lasting impression on the people he served.

Ron was a lifelong Christian whose faith was an important part of his life. He had a desire to share God's love with others and put that faith into action through service to his community. He regularly visited the local prison to share the Gospel with inmates and was previously a member of The Gideons, an organization dedicated to distributing Bibles and sharing God's Word. Through these efforts, Ron sought to make a difference in the lives of others and share the message of his faith.

Outside of his career, Ron enjoyed a variety of interests throughout his life, including scuba diving, Civil War reenacting, and fishing. In his later years, he especially enjoyed his ham radio, which allowed him to connect and converse with people from all over the world.

Ron will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and the community he served throughout his life.

A memorial service will be held on December 18, 2026 at 12:00. The receiving of friends will begin at 11:00