Phil Graduated from Penn Township High School in June 1959 and enlisted in the Navy that same month. Always the adventurer, he was inspired to join the Navy upon seeing the movie “South Pacific” in his teen years.
He was trained as an Aviation Electronic Technician Class A Striker. He worked on airplanes both on and off shore throughout his Navy career, being stationed in Oak harbor, WA twice, and also in San Diego, CA. He retired from the Navy in December of 1983, with the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
During his stint in the Navy, Phil me Clemmie Jane Stepherson of Diboll, TX. They were married on May 8, 1962. She and Philip had two sons: Brian, of Aransas Pass, TX, who is a marine electrician in the oil industry, and Mason, of Poway, CA, who drives an 18-wheeler. Clemmie succumbed to lung cancer in January of 2001.
After retiring from the military, Philip made use of his GI Bill by going to college at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. He graduated with a B.A. in Liberal Arts/Economics.
Philip and Clemmie moved to Houston, TX in 1987, where he gained a position in the HR Division of the Planning and Development Department of the City of Houston. He retired from the City in 2005 after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
After 2 open-heart surgeries in his late 30’s and early 40’s, Phil developed the habit of running, biking, and walking. He rode his bike to and from work at the Naval Base in Oak Harbor frequently, as well as riding for pleasure.
When he retired, he still liked to be active, and purchased a recumbent tricycle. He took advantage of the Rails to Trails riding paths in several states, collecting state flags from each, which he proudly displayed on his trike.
During one of his tricycle trips to visit his friend Robin Keating, in Indiana, he met Sara Callahan, who also enjoyed biking, and the two spent many hours of enjoyment on their tricycles. After 3 years of long-distance friendship, Phil and Sara were married in January of 2010.
Sara, his wife, Brian and Mason, his sons, Trudy, his sister, and Tom, his brother, along with 8 grandchildren, are Phil’s legacy to the world. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood, where many friends came to his aid innumerable times in innumerable ways. God has been Phil’s constant companion and forever comforter throughout his life, but in recent years he came to realize the value of that rich relationship with his God.
Arrangements under the direction of Kingwood Funeral Home, Kingwood, TX.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18