Phillip Antonio Puleo

Phillip Antonio Puleo, known to many as “Phil,” passed away peacefully on Flag Day, June 14, 2025, at the age of 90. A proud veteran, devoted husband, father and patriot, Phil lived a life defined by service, family, and an insatiable curiosity.

Phil was born at home on December 10, 1934, at 50 Valley Street in Wakefield, Massachusetts to Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Antonetta Puleo. He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Josefina “Josie” Puleo, his oldest sister, Lillian Roberto and younger sister, Doris Moriana. He is survived by his younger brother Joey Puleo of Wakefield, MA, and his youngest sister Fran Baron of Melrose, MA.

Phil leaves behind a legacy through his three children—Phillip Puleo Jr. (Tony), Belen Puleo-Scheppke, and Joseph Puleo—their spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom reside in Texas.

At 18, he enlisted in the United States Air Force where he underwent his Air Force Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas and further training in aircraft mechanics.

At 21 years old, he met Josie at a church dance and within a few months they were married and headed for Wiesbaden, Germany, living there until 1959. Together, they immersed themselves in the local culture, learned German, and built lasting memories while traveling throughout Europe. They were especially popular with their landlord as they had access to American coffee and cigarettes – items big in demand at that time. In later years, Phil and Josie continued to speak to each other in German when they wanted to keep their conversations private from the kids.

Throughout his 20-year military career, Phil was stationed at various bases in the United States as well as serving two oversea tours - Goose Bay Air Force Base (Labrador, Canada) in the early 1960s and Pleiku Air Base (Rocket City), Vietnam from 1968–1969.

Prior to military retirement in 1973, he was trained in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and began his next career phase as a civil servant. Phil worked 20+ years in HVAC at Lackland AFB, Kelly AFB and Ft. Sam Houston. Always surrounded by military life, Phil was a patriot through and through—never without a perfect salute.

He returned to school and received a Bachelor’s degree in Education in 1982 from San Marcos University (now Texas State University).

Phil was proficient in mechanics and always had a natural curiosity of how things work – always tinkering with gadgets. He often told the story of how his father once gave him a pocket watch that no longer worked. After fiddling with it and dunking it into a can of kerosene, the watch began to work again. His father reclaimed the watch and rewarded Phil with a quarter which he gladly accepted.

His past times included tooling around in his garage – a lifetime of treasures that he picked up at flea markets, neighborhood garage sales or the side of the road. Phil knew, there were always treasures out there- ready for picking.

There was always an ongoing project at the house, whether it be gardening, house repairs, lawnmower repairs, A/C window unit repairs, along with plenty of cars. It wasn’t unusual to find an El Camino, El Ranchero or Maverick in the driveway, waiting for Phil’s special touch.

You could often spot Phil cruising through the neighborhood streets on his gas-powered bicycle, a look of pure joy and pride on his face. One of his most endearing and quirky traits was his ability to wiggle his ears on command — independently or together. He delighted in sharing this talent and it never failed to bring a smile to those around him.

He travelled abroad in his later years, making trips to Sardinia, Germany, Belgium and Sicily where he connected with his family.

Phil’s patriotism, craftsmanship, storytelling, and kindness will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

A rosary will be held at 10:00 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 350 Sutton Drive. Interment with full military honors will follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.