Robert W. Phillips
November 17, 2019

Robert W. Phillips of Dunmore passed away unexpectedly on Saturday while doing what he liked best – spending time with his family and friends.  He was 70 years old. 

The oldest son of the late Robert and Lillian Morgan Phillips, he grew up in Dunmore at the family homestead on Church Street. After graduating from Dunmore High School in 1966, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a gunner’s mate in the Vietnam War.  Upon return, he went on to graduate from Cornell University in 1980 with a degree in Horticulture.

With his degree, he returned to Scranton and started a business with his wife Marsha. They began their family with the births of their three children and he built a multi-family home on Williams Street in Dunmore. He later relocated to Florida, where he worked for many years in banking. He enjoyed the warmer climate, volleyball, Coronas and wearing tropical shirts.  In 2010, he moved back to Dunmore to be closer to his friends and family.

Bob was a kind, creative, intelligent, man with an easy-going spirit who had endless hobbies and a constant curiosity to learn new things. As a child he would ask his parents for money for seeds to grow plants in the backyard. He always had a love of nature and wanted to be a dairy farmer.  With his degree in Horticulture from Cornell, he built an extremely successful greenhouse and floral business, Beagle’s, that became a go-to destination for plants and flowers in Scranton, especially his Poinsettias at Christmastime.

He was a self-taught carpenter and built two homes for his family by himself. Bob was a beekeeper, hiker, farmer, winemaker, photographer, carpenter, and he loved going on Harley adventures with friends. He planted over 20 tomato varieties in his backyard every year and made the best wood-fired pizzas at Christmas for his family. He loved adventure and recently completed an unforgettable, “bucketlist,” cross-country trip with his daughters where he toured the Southwest and Pacific Northwest.  He loved spending time with his son, Robert, and would drop anything to help him with carpentry work, attend a Nascar race or go on Harley ride.

He was planning another cross-country trip and tour of Europe for 2020. He made many trips to visit his cousin Siobhan, who he loved like a sister. He loved taking cozy naps near the fire with his three dogs Max, Molly and Bailey.

People sometimes thought he was quiet, but if you asked him questions, he could talk for hours about politics, farming, building homes, or adventurous travel. He was funny and extremely witty. His loyalty had no boundaries. He was an excellent teacher and his wisdom will be desperately missed by his children. 

Above all, he was a devoted father who loved and cherished his three surviving children: Kristen Phillips-Surichamorn and husband, Krisada, Culver City, California; Robert and his fiance, Mallory Hahn, Lake Ariel; and Brianna Phillips Seattle, Washington. He will be remembered with love by his by brother Jeff, and wife, Becky, Akron, Ohio. As well, he was extremely close with his cousin Siobhan Refice Greene and husband John Greene, Solan, Ohio, in addition to many friends, cousins, colleagues, nieces, and nephews.   

The funeral will be Friday from the Carlucci-Golden-DeSantis Funeral Home, Inc., 318 E. Drinker St., Dunmore with a service at 10:00am in the funeral home.

Interment, Dunmore Cemetery

Friends may call on Thursday from 4-7pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the VFW McHugh-Bushweller Post 3474, 110 Chestnut St., Dunmore, Pa 18512 or  https://www.vfw.org/

To leave an online condolence please visit http://www.DunmoreFuneralHome.com.