Gerald McPhillips' Obituary
Gerald “Mac” McPhillips died peacefully on January 20, 2024, in Culpeper, VA. He was the youngest of five sons (C. Francis, William, John, Brian) and one daughter (Joan) born to Cornelius Francis and Margaret Kelly McPhillips, all of whom predeceased him. He was born in Orange, New Jersey on March 8, 1937.
Following graduation from high school he joined the U.S. Army, trained at Fort Devens in Massachusetts, and was assigned to the U.S. Army Security Agency, ultimately spending two years on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska working in signals intelligence. He met his wife of 61 years, Mary Regina Carle, during the presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy.
While working for ITT in the early 1960s in Nutley, NJ, he became interested in computers, took some computer courses and spent the rest of his working life in the information technology field. His work took him and his family to Pennsylvania, Maryland and finally to Culpeper, Virginia where he was employed by S.W.I.F.T. until his retirement in 1998.
After retirement, he was an active volunteer in the community, including helping coach computer skills at the library and collecting donations for the food pantry. He was a long-time parishioner at Precious Blood Catholic Church serving in the choir and as a cantor for many years.
Mac is survived by his wife, Mary; four children, Margaret Sharp (Cliff), Kathleen Kraehenbuehl (David), Michael McPhillips (Melissa), and Francis McPhillips (Janel). He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Declan and Collin Sharp, Mary Agnes Kraehenbuehl, Jeremy, Madison, Justin (Michael) and Erin, Dylan, Aiden (Francis) McPhillips.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 850 Sperryville Pike, Culpeper, VA.
A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 26, 2024 at Precious Blood Catholic Church, 114 E Edmondson St, Culpeper, VA with Father Kevin Walsh officiating.
Interment will follow at Culpeper National Cemetery, 501 E. Chandler Street, Culpeper.
In lieu of flowers please consider contributing to the Dementia Friends Initiative, Aging Together, P. O. Box 367, Culpeper, VA 22701.
An online guestbook and tribute wall are available at www.foundandsons.com
Found and Sons Funeral Chapel of Culpeper is serving the family.
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