Philip F. Bartholomew

Philip Frederick Bartholomew was born March 26, 1955, in Lancaster Pennsylvania to the Rev. Dr. Alfred C. and Joyce (Studenmund) Bartholomew. The youngest of three children, Phil was predeceased by his parents and brother Alan. He is survived by his daughters, Alexandra (AJ), and Catherine (CC) Bartholomew (with former spouse, Mary Schechter), his sister Jocelyn (Mamoru) Sugimoto, many nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews, and his dear friend Nela Daniela Brakh (Vienna, Austria).

Phil spent his early years traveling the world with his family, as his father worked for Church World Service. His exposure to many different cultures fostered a commitment to public service that he carried throughout his life. After receiving his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh, he began teaching as an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. In 1988, Phil moved to the D.C. area to serve as Senior Economist at the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. Over the next 30 years, he proceeded to conduct, publish, and manage economic research for the Congressional Budget Office, the Comptroller of the Currency, the U.S. House of Representatives Banking and Finance Committee, and the International Monetary Fund. He was an expert in bank consolidation, internationalization, and stability, deposit insurance as well as detecting financial fraud.

Throughout his career, he was a man of extraordinary principles and focused on helping and mentoring others. When he served as Chief Economist (Democrat) for the House Banking and Finance Committee, he helped write the legislation for the debt forgiveness of the world’s poorest countries during the Jubilee 2000. During his many years at the IMF, he provided technical assistance to numerous developing countries to strengthen their banking supervision. Phil will always be remembered for his passion for cigars, American movies, naval history, and German model trains.

Services will be held on Saturday, December 9th, 2023, with visitation from 10:00AM to 11:00AM, followed by a service at the Murphy Funeral Home in Arlington, VA. A reception will be held after at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City at 12:30PM ET. Donations can be made in his memory to Church World Service.