Alfred Phillips

Born in Brooklyn New York in 1925 to Mary Markowitz Phillips & Alfred Godfrey Phillips.

At an early age Al had a love for baseball. He tried out for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was offered a contract, but his duty to serve his country called.

He served in the Army Tank Corps in WWII.

He taught expert gunnery, tank tactics, map reading, counterintelligence and teaching soldiers how to readjust to civilian life.

He later got a contract and played with the Boston Braves, but his career was cut short due to a war injury.

Disappointment turned to opportunity, he shifted gears using the GI Bill and got his Masters Degree from Columbia University, with additional degrees in speech, hearing and language pathology.

He went on to work as the school Administrator in the upstate New York Putnam County school district. Al created, implemented and supervised numerous programs for special education students.

He established one of the first programs in the country teaching migrant workers children how to read. Ensuring every student regardless of their background the opportunity to learn and succeed.

Al met the love of his life Lorraine Lapidus in Brooklyn New York when they were just 11 yrs old. They both had a love of music. As children growing up in the depression Al bought the records and Lorraine had the record player.

Rumor has it that they stayed together for the record collection. Al and Lorraine later helped arrange music venues for local Jazz musicians to perform.They were instrumental in the formation of the New York Jazz Society and got to work with many of the great musicians of the time.

They married and moved Upstate to Mahopac New York and started a family. They loved family ski trips, family cruises and always hearing live music of any kind.

After they retired they fulfilled their lifelong dream of owning a house on the ocean in Topsail Island, North Carolina. They later moved to Cape Coral, Florida and finally Ventura, California.

Al and Loraine were married for 56 years until her passing in 2006.

He was preceded in death by wife Lorraine Phillips and brother Harvey Phillips of Staten Island, New York.

He is survived by: Brother Mitchell Phillips of New Jersey. Son Alfie Phillips and wife Laura Bennie of Warrenton, North Carolina.Daughter Paula Phillips and husband Joseph of Haiku, Maui.

Daughter Pamela Cohan and husband Bob of Ventura, California.

Grandchildren, Samuel, Luke, Evan, Marcie and Alana.

Greatgrandchildren, Sara, Austin, Arielle, Luna, Kupa'a and Kuola.

Thank you to Tina Rowe RN and the entire team at Aster Hospice for their care and compassion beyond words to describe.

Thank you to Yeny Estrada at Encanto Living, along with her entire family and all the amazing caregivers that not only cared for Dad but loved, adored and pampered him.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in Dad's honor to Gold Coast Veterans Foundation (gcvf.org) or your favorite charity.

Please sign the online guest book link below to share any memories or photos of Dad.