Philip Thomas Etherton

Philip Thomas Etherton was born on November 20, 1977 and joined the Lord in heaven peacefully on August 20, 2020, at the age of 42, due to unexpected medical complications. Philip was the proud father of Jack Thomas Etherton, 16 and Isaac Philip Etherton, 12. They were the most important people in his life. Philip dedicated his time and attention to them throughout their time together.

Philip was born in Mattoon, Illinois. At the age of 11, he moved to Colorado with his mother and sister, where he would spend his next 31 years. Philip graduated from Littleton High School in 1995 and attended Metropolitan State College in Denver. He also achieved the highly regarded designation of PMP from the Project Management Institute, focusing on information technology. Philip has worked for Nextel, Cricket Communications, Douglas County School District and most recently, Spinnaker Support as the Director of Security Services. He also was a self-employed business/process consultant over 14 years.

Philip grew up living with his mother and his sister, Sarah Shinton of Castle Rock, Colorado. From basement wrestling matches, black diamond ski runs, and mountain adventures to cooking lessons, deep conversations and a shared love for football, they were always laughing and having a good time. He always made time for long phone conversations with his sisters Kristin and Kassidy of Illinois, and shared his love of the mountains when they’d come in for a visit.

During his youth, Philip loved the outdoors, including camping, hiking, swimming, fishing, water skiing and many trips to see the country, especially Wisconsin and Florida where he visited his grandparents. He always loved to learn and experience new things. Philip was actively involved in the Scouts and thoroughly enjoyed the Pinewood Derby. One of his best memories was a youth group trip to build homes in Mexico. He was a very quick learner and made friends easily. He shared many adventures with his close friends, Shawn, Will and Zack. His cat Jethro was his beloved and cherished pet.

He was close to his cousins and often spoke about the fun road trip to Florida with Eric, Chris, Heidi and Mike. The elderly condo residents got a good dose of youthful exuberance to say the least.

There were also many traditions and pranks he would share with his cousins, Derek and Stephanie that went on for years. And he still found them just as fun every time. He was lovingly given the nickname “Roger” which he didn’t care for as a kid, but became a running joke as he got older.

He is survived by Jack Etherton (Son), Isaac Etherton (Son), Edward Etherton (Father), Kathy (Tankersley) Mondragon (Mother), Sarah Shinton (Sister), Kristin Etherton (Sister), Kassidy Donlan (Sister).

Philip left his legacy of nurturing and guiding his two sons with an often stated goal to “raise my sons to be good men.” He strived to achieve this everyday. Philip was an excellent chef, continually teaching Jack and Isaac the fine kitchen techniques that would have impressed Gordon Ramsay. The three often attended the local Renaissance Festival, recreating their own scenes with era masks. He enjoyed taking them to sporting events, trips to the mountains and convincing them to try some very unusual foods. Their shared love of Star Wars and video games was a constant bonding experience for them. Being a father was his favorite journey of all.

Being around nature was Philip’s favorite pastime, second to following the Broncos, Rockies and Chicago Bears and Cubs. He was also a big fan of the Colorado Buffs and the Illinois Illini, wearing his favorite sweatshirts with pride. Philip had an infectious laugh and really knew how to light up a room. He would flood you with knowledge on any subject, was always quick with a movie quote and loved to debate you on anything. He really cherished family traditions and made sure they kept going, even starting new ones from time to time. Most would say they have an inside joke with him, as he loved that tradition as well.

He was actively involved in all three sisters’ weddings, beaming with pride as he always had time to listen and to guide them. He loved his family, friends and work friends, giving his all and best he could.

Philip was very spiritual and studied many faiths. He recently had the opportunity to visit the Holy Land through his work. He was thrilled to be there and see the historic Biblical landmarks he had read and studied. Every evening at bedtime he and his future good men would pray and recite the Lord’s Prayer.

He will be dearly missed.

We are absolutely devastated by Phil’s passing and are hoping that you will contribute to Phil's memorial. Funds will be used to help cover the immediate needs of his children, Jack and Isaac. Please consider donating if you are able to do so. We are so very grateful for every donation during this difficult time.