Stephanie Jean Kaibel McKiernan

MARCH 3, 1961 - JULY 1, 2026

Stephanie was born on March 3, 1961 in Watseka, Illinois to George S. Kaibel and Dr. Jerilynn Kaibel. She started her journey of traveling at six months of age when she went on her first international flight to Japan to join her father. She learned to enjoy the food, eating with chopsticks and understanding the language. A return to Watseka when she was 2 1/2 due to the death of her uncle. Her next move was to Jacksonville, Florida for a short period. She then moved to California where her father was transferred and started school. A change in assignment for her father took us to Oklahoma City where she continued her education, participated in numerous activities such as Blue Birds and numerous school clubs. Her stay in Oklahoma City was 6 1/2 years. The next transfer was to Washington D.C. and she became a resident of Silver Springs, Maryland attending school there. Numerous field trips to observe Congress and the Senate as well as tours of the White House peaked her interest in politics. The next move was to Santa Monica, California where she went to junior high school. Due to the death of her father she returned to Beaumont to reside with her grandparents Dr. Bert and LaVona Young while her mother completed her doctorate. She attended Beaumont High School and graduated. During this time she pursued her love of horses and competed with her American Saddlebred, Aggie. She was the Equestrian Queen and competed in state competition in Oxnard. Some of the highlights of her time at Beaumont High was a six week study trip to Europe. Stephanie then attended Crafton Hills College. She began working at Stater Brothers and became a certified meat cutter. She was with Stater Brothers for forty years before her retirement. She then actively pursued her passion as a licensed rehabber or raptors (birds of prey). She was very talented and caring finding extreme joy in rescuing an injured raptor, nursing it back to health so it could fly again. She actively participated in the rehab community of people she called her friends. Stephanie volunteered at Carol's Kitchen where she found yet another calling and a wonderful group of friends. She is survived by her mother, Dr. Jerilynn Kaibel and stepfather John Massey. She was predeceased by her grandparents Dr. Bert Young and LaVona Starmer Young, her uncle Bert Young, Jr., her father George S. Kaibel and her husband George McKiernan. She was a Christian who believed that life on earth was a transitory visit and that heaven was the ultimate goal where she felt she would find peace, health, freedom from pain and the joy of reuniting with her loved ones. She left her footprints both in the sand and in the hearts of many.