March 4, 1932 - October 17, 2024
Philip Joseph Mallon died peacefully in Boynton Beach, FL on October 17, 2024. His children and grandchildren were by his side sharing love, comfort and fond memories. He had a remarkable gift for making every day count in his 92 years.
Phil was born in New York City on March 4, 1932. He was the oldest of two children born to Anne and John Mallon and was named after his maternal grandfather Philip Scheiber. Though in the midst of the Great Depression, his childhood in Queens was a happy one, with loving, attentive parents and extended family. He enjoyed sports, especially tennis, which became a lifelong passion. He graduated from Bayside High School as president of his class. He was also voted “Swoon King” by his class, the source of much good-natured teasing over the years.
Phil graduated in 1953 from Trinity College in Hartford, CT where he was captain of the tennis team. The summer before his senior year, he met the love of his life, Eileen Blundell, while in line registering for summer classes. He overheard her saying she needed a ride home each day and he offered his services on the condition that she accompany him to Jones Beach on the way. They married in 1954 and celebrated their 66th anniversary before Eileen’s death in 2021.
Having participated in ROTC at Trinity, USAF Lieutenant Mallon took an active duty post in Japan near the end of the Korean War. In the first of their many adventures together, his new bride joined him. In 1955 their daughter Linda was born on the island of Kyushu. Phil and Eileen returned to the States and settled in Bristol, CT as they continued to grow their family. Daughter Laurie was born in 1956 and son John in 1957.
Phil followed in the footsteps of his hero, his father, as he took a job in the business world. He soon realized corporate life wasn’t a good fit and decided to seek a more fulfilling career in teaching. He returned to Trinity and received his Master’s Degree in Education.
With a bit of wanderlust and yearning for a warmer climate, the Mallon family moved to Boca Raton, FL in 1960. Boca was a small, friendly seaside town and they embraced the outdoor lifestyle. After a short stint as co-owner of a fishnet business, Phil began his 33-year teaching career at Boca Raton High School. Finding his calling as a teacher was a gateway to a life of service, community and personal fulfillment. He delighted in connecting with each student and having a chance to know them and help them see how special they were. His approach to teaching was unique as he went above and beyond to create innovative lessons that his students still talk about today. He was passionate about the subjects he taught (Contemporary History, Civics, Leadership, and Comparative Religion) and his role as varsity boys and girls tennis coach and Activities Director. He won awards for his commitment to quality teaching and building an inclusive high school community, and was twice voted Teacher of the Year. He bravely endured criticism for some of his positions and advocacy initiatives while remaining true to his ideals and his mantra of “People (Students) First.” He relished his role as a student government mentor and was the proud founder of the Boca High School chapter of People Unlimited.
Inspired by the “back to the land movement,” Phil and Eileen purchased an old farmhouse on 90 acres in West Windsor, VT in 1969. They devoted their summers to restoring their land and home, creating beautiful gardens, and hosting memorable family gatherings, including the annual July 4th celebration. Phil’s happy place in VT was outside, building fairy moss gardens with his grandchildren, hosting cookouts on Strawberry Hill, floating in the pond, pruning in the woods, mowing the fields, or planting gardens. He actively worked their land under the guidance of the Vermont Forestry Stewardship program, believing strongly that he wanted to improve the natural integrity of the forest for future generations. Phil and Eileen retired in the 1990’s and began spending half the year in VT until returning to FL full time in 2010.
Though retired for 30 years, Phil treasured the memories and relationships with students that endured. Once a teacher, always a teacher, whether with former students, his children, grandchildren, or friends and neighbors. He remained an eager student himself, and enjoyed classes at the FAU School of Lifelong Learning. He relished the lively dialogue with his weekly Socrates Café group in Highland Beach and eagerly researched each topic in preparation for the meeting.
Sometimes known as Philosophical Phil or Farmer Phil, he lived his life with kindness, a loving heart, and a curious, imaginative mind. His cheesy Dad jokes and witty one-liners were unparalleled. Physical activity was always important to him. In addition to his enjoyment of tennis, he swam laps in the pool daily until the age of 90, including laps of the butterfly stroke! His greatest joy was his family and he nurtured those relationships by showing up, greeting with open arms and unconditional love, sharing joys and sorrows, offering pearls of wisdom as life lessons, and giving his time endlessly. In his words, the joy and adventure of being a grandfather stirred his soul and made his heart sing, and allowed him to rediscover the child in himself.
Phil had a profound commitment to equal rights for all humans. He lived by the saying that “you can’t do all the good the world needs but the world needs all the good you can do.” He viewed his environmental stewardship as an extension of this commitment, trusting in the Buddhist belief that “we are all leaves of one tree, we are all waves of one sea.” Another favorite quote was from Advice for a Tree; “stand tall and proud, go out on a limb, remember your roots and enjoy the view!” As his youngest grandchild wrote in her college essay about Grandpa Phil, “these are things that many people TRY to believe and practice, but he actually does them, every single day!”
Phil’s parents; his beloved wife Eileen; and his cherished granddaughter Ashley Nebel preceded him in death. He is survived by his loving children Linda Mallon, Laurie Nebel, and John Mallon (Kris); his adoring grandchildren Amy Pappas, Jeffrey Nebel, Jenna Caputo, Tessa Theriault, Chelsea Mallon, and Carly Archer; and his treasured great-grandchildren Sophia and Landon Pappas and Lyla Ashley Theriault. He will also be dearly missed by his devoted sister Elinor Macdonald, his nieces Melissa and Laura, and nephew Glenn. The family is forever grateful to his companions Amelle, Gerda and Tally who were so dedicated in their support of Phil after Eileen’s death.
At the age of 90, Phil made the decision to be baptized in the Catholic Church. His new faith brought him peace. A small family service was held at St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach, FL on October 19th. In keeping with Phil’s wishes, a Celebration of Life will be held in Vermont in the late spring. He wrote “the reason for this is that spring carries with it a resurgence of hope, joy and love, and moreover, evidence of life everlasting.”
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in Phil’s honor be made to The George Snow Scholarship Fund at https://scholarship.org, providing college financial aid to local students to local; or to Trust Bridge, the hospice provider who brought so much peace and comfort to Phil and his family in his final six months, particularly through their music therapy program.
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