Lawrence Sibilly

Lawrence Joseph Sibilly, of St. Thomas US Virgin Islands and longtime resident of Tampa Florida, passed away on April 7, 2026. He was the second son of Edward and Bernice Ferrari Sibilly, born on November 19, 1946. He graduated from Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic High School, class of 1965. After graduation he was briefly employed at First Federal Savings & Loan Association before joining the US Army, where he became a member of the Signal Corps. He was stationed first in Georgia and then in California, serving his country with distinction despite not being able to participate directly in the Vietnam War due to the rules surrounding siblings being combatants at the same time.

Upon being honorably discharged from the military, he was able to return to his former job at First Federal, where he remained until 1971. Then he became employed by the Government of the Virgin Islands in the Department of Property and Procurement, where he rose to the position of Deputy Director. He remained a staple there until his retirement in 1997.

Larry remained very active in the community during his adult years in St. Thomas to include being a member of the very popular Mountaineers Softball Team, the Northside Civic Association, C.O.R. (Christ in Others Retreat) Youth Organization, the Bishop’s Committee of Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, and served as a founding member of the No Nonsense Carnival Troupe.

In 1995, the Virgin Islands Business Leader Award was presented to Lawrence Sibilly, for his accomplishments during his 25-year career at the Department of Property and Procurement as well as his contributions to the North Side Community.

In 1997, upon retirement, he relocated with his family to Tampa, Florida and soon found a new career in the insurance and mortgage business. In his community, he served as Vice-President of Pennington Village Homeowners Association for many years. He became an avid golfer after falling in love with the sport. He was an enthusiastic fan of the Tampa Bay Rays and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Larry was a man who was passionate about two things above all else - God and Family. A humble devout Christian, he was an active member of St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, and a faithful member of a men’s group known as The Fishers of Men. Larry loved these men. Larry loved the Church, but his pride and joy was his family.

He was married to Arsenta Massac Sibilly for over 53 years. Their union was blessed with one son, Laurence Joseph and a granddaughter, Arielle Nicole. Larry spoke to his brothers on a daily basis and he frequently called his aunts on St. Thomas - just to check-in. He constantly reached out to check in with his cousins and the rest of his extended family and friends. He met for breakfast monthly with a group of men who formed a very strong bond of friendship and mutual respect.

He was a man of great integrity and he was also extremely sociable and community minded. He greeted everyone who met his gaze and engaged them in warm conversation. He was loved by all.

Those who knew Larry will forever remember him for his kind heart, his outgoing personality, his generous spirit, his wisdom, and his daily biblical posts on social media that inspired so many. He will also be remembered for his love of travel, particularly cruising. The slow steady sailing onboard a ship matched his calm, easy going personality. Every port a new adventure…. He will be greatly missed.

Larry is predeceased by his parents, and his brother Edward.

Left to cherish his legacy are: his wife Arsenta; son, Laurence; granddaughter, Arielle; Brothers, David (Laura), James (Linda), Richard (Rowena), and Duane (Joan); Aunts, Clely Sibilly Berry and Carmen Sibilly; as well as numerous relatives and friends.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 17512 Lakeshore Rd, Lutz, FL 33558 on April 24, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.

In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation. Donations can be made online at give.moffitt.org or by calling 1-800-456-3434 ext. 1403. Please note that the donation is in memory of Lawrence Sibilly.