John S. ‘Steve’ Phillips Sr., 70
John S. “Steve” Phillips Sr., of Anita passed away peacefully on Feb. 13, 2023, at the Punxsutawney Area Hospital, surrounded by his loving family, following a long, six-year battle against Acute Myelodysplastic Leukemia.
He was born on April 7, 1952, in Punxsutawney, the youngest son of Joseph Aloysius Phillips Sr. and Lois M. (nee Stigers) Phillips. His family lived on Perry Street in Punxsy for many years while he was growing up. Many friends and acquaintances will also know him as “Scuba Steve.”
He was married on Feb. 27, 1979, to Marianne L. Fisher, who survives.
He retired in 2015 from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, where he worked as an equipment operator and temporary foreman for 20 years. He had previously worked for the ST & E Trucking Company, Brad Ragan - Goodyear Tire Inc. in DuBois, the Earth Mover Tire Service and Mahoning Maid in Punxsutawney.
Steve was a volunteer fireman for over 30 years, serving with a number of Jefferson County fire departments, including the Lindsey Fire Company Station 40, the Reynoldsville Fire Company Station 6 and the Brockway Fire Company Station 1, and in Clearfield County with the J. E. DuBois No. 3 in DuBois.
He was also a former member of the Punxsutawney Fire Department Scuba Team.
He was an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve, having served for nine years with A - BTRY 4/92ND, 347 QM CO. and B - BTRY 4/8TH, in Punxsutawney.
He held a second honorable discharge from the Pennsylvania National Guard 876th Engineers in Punxsutawney following five years of service.
He was a member of the Walston Club, the American Legion Post No. 0062, the Punxsutawney Eagles Aerie No. 1231 and the Reynoldsville Eagles Aerie No. 540.
Steve enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, riding the Amtrak trains across the U.S.A. with his wife and growing the best darned garlic in the county every year, which he readily supplied to family and friends; his wife will carry on growing his prized garlic in his memory for as long as she possibly can.
Steve was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Joseph A. Phillips Jr., William L. Phillips and George E. Phillips, and also by his infant son, Shawn Stephen Phillips.
He is survived by four grandchildren, Sara Rose Phillips, Danielle Lois Phillips, Shawn Joseph Phillips, all of Punxsutawney, and Cole Phillips of DuBois; along with their parents, Benjamin and Helena Johnson Miller of Punxsutawney and Kelly Knobloch of DuBois.
He is also survived by his sister, Mrs. Judith Baker (Frank) of Lucinda; his sister-in-law, Carol Ann Phillips of Valencia; and four nieces and one nephew.
Family and friends will be received at the Fait d’Argy Funeral Home at 117 North Jefferson Street in Punxsutawney, on Friday 17 February 2023 from 4 PM to 8 PM.
The family respectfully requests for everyone to attend the funeral Mass, which will be celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Saints Peter and Paul Church, located at 714 Sutton St. in Punxsutawney, beginning at 10 a.m. and officiated by Father Vasyl Kadar. Military honors will be rendered by the Jefferson Honor Guard immediately following the funeral service.
Online condolences and other information may be found by visiting www. dargyfh.com.