SKOWHEGAN – “SILENT KEY ~ K1BXI” – John Harold Phillips passed from this life, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 at 5:05 p.m., at our home in Skowhegan, with me by his side.He is survived by his children, Ruth, Mark, James/Jim, David and his wife Susan, stepdaughter Charlotte/Cookie, our daughter Holly Marie; grandchildren, Jacqueline/Jackie and her husband Tyler, Samuel/Sam, Kirsten and Sarah; great-grandson Evan Abraham…and me.He was the only child of John Seavey Phillips (1912-1977) and Marie Barbara Campbell (1914-2006). Born Nov. 21, 1934, by Cesarean Section, not a common practice at that time, but a necessary one, due to Marie’s hemorrhaging. Dr. Bernard saved both mother and babe, baby was then given to his Grandmother Phillips to care for, while his mother was regaining her strength. Johnnie was placed in a make-shift incubator beside the coal stove, where he thrived!! John (nie) was always a Skowhegan home town boy, except for the years during WWII when they moved to Camden to be near his father who worked at the Rockland Shipyard. When his father enlisted in the U.S. Navy, the family of three, became a family of two, and they moved back “home”. Kid fashion the war didn’t interrupt his childhood.The years passed, one into the other, and Johnnie began his apprenticeship into his father’s construction business ( J. S. Phillips Construction & Building) beginning in the summer between his Junior and Senior high school years. He started at the bottom and had to learn every aspect of the building/construction trade. When he graduated from high school in 1953, Johnnie began working full time for his father. At this time the company was involved in building many schools both locally and Down East. John always spoke highly of the many carpenters and masons who helped him through the years learn his trade. Jump ahead a couple of decades and John was self-employed, remodeling many homes and businesses in the Skowhegan area. He took great pride in his work, and those that knew him, knew he worked at his own “moderate pace”! The renovation of our home was a labor of love; it will break my heart when I have to leave it.John has had many hobbies throughout his life, astronomy and photography to name a couple, but Ham Radio was his ‘baby’. His Uncle Ivan Sheaff was a ham operator and Johnnie was fascinated by it. He sold his electric train set and bought his first receiver, and as they say, the rest is history!! John was issued his Amateur Radio license, May 10, 1957. He spent countless hours building, re-building, tweaking, talking !! talking!! and talking!! ~~I was never so happy as the day he moved his radio and equipment from our bedroom to his man-cave!! Hallelujah and Amen!! In John’s own words, “Well gentlemen, it’s been fun. Color me gone”.I’ve loved John since I was 19~~he was not. Through all of our decades together, sometimes we walked side by side, sometimes a step or two apart, love never runs in a straight path. My journey isn’t over yet, but when it is, our ashes will be buried together. The grass will grow over our resting place, and in 50 years our story will be history. ~~~Rest in peace, my love. 88Arrangements are under the care and direction of Giberson Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Madison & Bingham..To leave an online condolence, go to: http://www.gibersonfuneralhome.com click on: Tribute Wall to leave message.
Grief is the price of Love. My thanks to all who have reached out to help us through these last difficult years. Lee/Leta Howes

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