More detail on this person: ELMEER, Phillip of
Tierra Verde, died Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015 at
Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa at 2:28 pm from
complications of lung cancer. Born Oct. 3, 1942 in
Jamestown, NY, Phillip was the son of Sixten E.
and Diane Siyufy Elmeer of Jamestown, NY. He
was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers
Ricky T. Elmeer and Terrance Lee Elmeer.
Phillip is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Elmeer
of Tierra Verde; his daughters, Terry Anne Short
of Zephyrhills, Tammy Campbell of Maui, HI,
Christine Morris of Ft. Lauderdale, Amanda Prouty
of Maui, HI; and his sister, Diane H. Elmeer of
Tampa. Also survived by his grandchildren Ashley,
Crystal, and Corey Short, Samantha and Heather
Campbell, Meghan and Haley Morris, Peyton and
Ryder Prouty; and a great-grandaughter,
four-week-old Parker Olivia; nieces, Stacey
Elmeer, Raven and Madison Chapman; nephew,
Sean Pascoe; and sister-in-law Deborah Chapman.
Phillip joined the Army in 1960 when he was 17. He
served two tours of duty in Vietnam as a Green
Beret in the airborne division, and retired from
the Army in June 1982 as a Lt. Col. 05.
After hundreds of wartime missions flying Huey,
Apace and Cobra helicopters, Phillip's passion for
flying continued undiminished until his death.
Upon his retirement from the US Army, Phillip
moved to Lake Padgett, FL where he and his family
joined a water ski performance team executing
spectacular ski shows, including one featured in
the Guinness Book of World Records. Phillip's love
of boats and the water continued. He took many
long trips on his boat 'Y Knot' to the Florida
Keys for lobstering, and created gatherings for
fun and sun with family and friends in and around
the many water spots of Florida, and the
Caribbean.
Phil worked hard and played hard. He founded two
extraordinary companies, EM Phillips and EMPad,
through which he made new friends and associates.
He recently joined members of the Grace Family
congregation in the building of schools for
children in Haiti. Phil had hoped to continue this
work, extending the same generosity of time and
knowledge to this endeavor as he had to the many
loves of his life.
He was close to his large family, and instilled in
them the virtues of courage and the value of being
one's self. He was a multi-dimensional man whose
eyes sparkled when he smiled, when he held one of
his grandchildren, in the throes of a family
gathering, or just conversing. He loved children.
A common picture is one of Phil holding a baby
(usually a girl). He was the quintessential
entrepreneur, not just as a businessman, but in
the many ways he imagined and embraced his life,
his family and friends.
"We are here to laugh at the odds and live our
lives so well that death will tremble to take us."
Charles Bukowski Memorial gifts may be made in
Phillip's name to Schools for Haiti, Inc.,
www.schoolsforhaiti.com
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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