Philip Gordon Salyer

Philip Gordon Salyer passed away at Dell Seton Hospital in Austin surrounded by his family on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the age of 77. Philip was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Connie, and is survived by his daughter Kim and husband Brad Baker, sons Martin and wife Laci, David and Charles, along with grandchildren Alyssa and husband David Fiorello, Brittany Baker, Hannah and husband Mitch Donahue, Kelsie Salyer, Ashley and Ross Salyer, Easton and Claire Salyer, along with great grandchildren Jordan, Skylar, and Emery.

Philip was born to Leo Martin and Pearl Salyer on June 6, 1947 in Ville Platte, Louisiana. He grew up in the oil camps of South Texas and graduated from Goliad High School in 1965. Philip was quite the athlete excelling in all sports, in which he participated in over his lifetime, from football, basketball, baseball, softball, boxing, tennis and track. Shortly after marrying his high school sweetheart and lifelong soul mate, Connie, he went to work as a Highway Patrolman for the Texas Department of Public Safety during the late 1960s, during a very difficult social time, being on the front line of several high-profile protests.

In the early ‘70’s with a sense of adventure he moved his young family to New Mexico and then Arizona in the coal mining operations working for Commerical Contracting as an industrial mechanic highly skilled in installing, dismantling, assembling, and moving heavy machinery, aka a Millwright.

Longing to come back to Texas to be near family he moved the family back to Georgetown in 1976. Still working with Commercial Contracting, he was assigned to the Alcoa plant in Rockdale and worked there for many years. He later went to work for Industrial Rigging primarily being assigned to the 3M plant before retiring. Philip loved projects, the challenges, the people, and the lifetime of friendships that he has had to this day. He loved being presented with a challenge and being able to find a solution.

He worked tirelessly to take care of his family, working tons of overtime, but he never missed one of his kids many ball games, wrestling or track meets, extracurricular activities, or other milestone celebrations. No matter how tired he may have been he was always ready to go crappie fishing until midnight, even on a school night, as long as the kids had the boat ready when he got home from work. He always encouraged his kids to pursue their dreams, and his pride in their accomplishments was evident and inspiring.

He loved to weld and Philip always had a project to work on in the garage, whether it be working on the storage building behind his own Dad’s house for many years, or building the fence around the cemetery in which he himself will be buried, or working on a project for one of his sons, or teaching his son-in-law to weld to make a shooting target, Philip always had a project on the table in the garage. If you knew him well, you knew the messy state of the garage, but that was just Dad, because he needed everything in that garage for some reason.

PaPa loved each of his grandchildren and great grand children dearly. He cherished the time with each of them. They each had a special place in his heart and he in theirs. Philip had an infectious laughter and a great sense of humor to all those that knew him.

A graveside service will be held at the Salyer Cemetery at Strickland Grove located at 1660 County Road 234, Georgetown, TX on Tuesday April 8th at 11:00 am. A gathering to celebrate Philip’s life will follow the graveside service, with details and directions provided at that time.