I first met Phil, at Stars Guitars, in CR. He had just lost his wife and was a bit lost. He started coming to the acoustic jams, and he was a huge hit, everyone loved his playing, his songs, his stories. I had the honor of playing with Phil in a little bluegrass/folk band, and we played the CSPS downtown, we played hayrack rides, we played all sorts of jams together. He taught me so much. RIP Phil. you are loved, and I am looking forward to seeing you in heaven and playing music together again. You made music fun, and I have wonderful memories because of that. Thank you!
lori ramos
April 4, 2025
I have such wonderfull memories of Phil,especially from my childhood. DeWees Christmases were the best. Phil would play his guitar and sing and sing and sing. He was a favorite cousin. ( I had a little girl crush on him) He had such a big heart. I was blessed to call him my cousin.
Pam Peckham Marshall
April 5, 2025
I am saddened today to learn of Phil’s passing. I am proud to reflect that he was a classmate and teammate, always humble and quiet, with a ready smile. His world will miss him. RIP ol’ buddy.
Keith Smit
April 5, 2025
Tim & Lisa and all of your family, sending my heartfelt condolences to all of you during this very difficult time. May he rest in peace with the angels above.❤️ Love u guys
Tracey Jurevitz
April 5, 2025
Tim & Lisa and all of your family, sending my heartfelt condolences to all of you during this very difficult time. May he rest in peace with the angels above.❤️ Love u guys
Tracey Jurevitz
April 6, 2025
If there is a bookstore in heaven, my husband, Bill, and Phil are there sharing coffee, cookies, jokes and laughter. Phil shared some meals in our home, We encouraged him to bring along his guitar for some after dinner music and vocals. Those were great evenings. Phil was a good soul, filled with a love of friends, family, and life in general. My condolences to the family.
Mimi Steadman
April 6, 2025
Please accept my most sincere sympathy--Phil was a classmate. I remember the Boy's Quartet - they were so talented! During our high school years Phil would get together with a couple other talented classmates . I dated one of the other people in the group and they made a recording of the song "5 Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" for him (Charlie) to give to me! When I would happen to see him about town or at a class lunch he was gracious and friendly with a big smile.
Sondra (Burnett) (Cox) Knapp
Sondra Knapp
April 6, 2025
Don't tell anybody, but Uncle Phil was a favorite of mine. I think he and Mom (his sister, June DeWees McNaughton) were peas in the same pod, even though they were 10 years apart (Mom older, Phil younger).
All my memories of Uncle Phil are happy ones. He always wore a smile, and he laughed. A lot. The word that stuck out to me from his obituary was either "humble" or "humility". He was exactly that, 24/7/365 x 90. I just know it. His obituary sez it, and he demonstrated that every time that we interacted, so I know he suffered (gladly) from chronic humility.
I remember his smile, his perpetual kindness, his laugh, his singing, his guitar/banjo playing - everything that's important to remember about Uncle Phil. In my mind, he was a saint, even though he didn't act that way to call attention to himself. He just couldn't help being a nice guy. I so appreciated that, and I know that Tim, Coleen, Janelle, spouses and grandkids deeply appreciated it, too.
We spoke by phone from time to time, but I hadn't called him in quite a while and had forgotten his phone #, so I recently contacted Janelle via Instagram. She caught me up with his health issues and kept me apprised of any changes. Turns out that our correspondence occurred during the last week (maybe a little longer) of Uncle Phil's life. When Janelle wrote that he has passed, that was a really sad day for me - and obviously for many.
While Uncle Phil and I did speak a number of times, our most important call was one that I made to him on November 1, 2005. I had to tell him that Mom fell backwards in her driveway the previous afternoon and was already brain-dead when I was notified and drove to the hospital. After spending the night with her, hand in hand, I called Uncle Phil the next morning around 11A PT / 1P CT to let him know what was happening with his sister and to ask his permission for me to pull the plug. (Recounting this is just brutal. I'm sorry.) There was no coming back for her. Phil and I cried throughout that phone call, but I knew that Mom would want that, and I just knew that Uncle Phil would ultimately want that, too. He finally said what I expected to hear - and knew those were among the most painful words that he might have ever spoken. "Yes, please."
Uncle Phil was the best example of a human being that I could ever imagine. I'm just lucky that he was my blood relative. I also know that he and Mom are together again in Heaven, which pleases me no end, along with Grampa and Grandma and Uncle Neal.
I love you, Uncle Phil, and I miss you. I know we'll be talking a lot in the days and years to come. Best always to a Great Man.
Roc McNaughton
April 7, 2025