Dear Phil,

You have been on my mind most of this day and I look forward to seeing you in heaven.  I regret that I did not take the time to get to know you.   I will have much to tell you when I see you again, but the one thing I will tell you now is that your passion and devotion to those men and women resting under those Latin Crosse and Stars of David was contagious  and the passion has not left me.  You were a man of few words but when it came to telling their story you had much to say.

Thank you Phil for sharing that passion with me.

There is no greater love than someone who is willing to lay down their life for a friend.   

Semper Fidelis

Dear Phil,
 Each time I go to the Normandy cemetey, I remind the great and wonderful expériences we share durin the so many years you had here. You left into all of us and next of kin families quite a deep Print

Phil,

This year I have been gone to France to see our friends, Mike and this family came with me, hope to take Chris and this family one day. Chris has a job now so it is more difficult, Sophie is going to school, I will go see them soon.

Your best friend Don came with Sylviane, they really like the area and they like to come back maybe next year. Your brother Gil is here now for 2 weeks.Jean is also coming for Thanksgiving, David, Scott and Mary are coming to.

I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new
I thought about you yesterday and days before too,

I think of you in silence I often speak your name
All I have are memories and your picture in a frame

Your memory is my keepsake with which I'll never part
God has you in His keeping I have you in my heart.

Bisous my Love

To my Loving Husband
An understanding heart, an intelligent mind.
Pictures and memories are all I got.
I miss the fun, I miss the joy.
You were one of a kind.
I miss you so much, we miss you Phil.
Happy Memorial Day 2014

Phil,

Today 4 January it is your birthday, I am going to see you at the cemetery with Mike and family, I miss you so much.

No birthday card in the post
No glass to raise in a birthday toast
No gift to buy and watch your face
As you pretend it's exactly to your taste
Just Flowers to lay at your graveside
With words said shakily trying to hide
The emotions that are still very raw
For the darling I so adore.

Cousin Phil,  We know that you are up in Heaven with Cousin Bernie and we want you to know that you are missed. We love your family and pray for their strength.

My Dearest Phil,

Today it is 1 year that you passed away I still miss you so much, why did you have to go so soon.
 
I am not as strong as I thought I was
Since you have been gone
I sit and cry at night.

Another day comes and once again
I have to pretend that I am strong
As soon as the day is over and all alone
I can go home and quit pretending that I am strong

I sit and cry at night
My Dearest Darling because of
you are gone and now that I am home
I don't have to pretend to be strong!

Love you always your wife Josie

I have just been informed of the passing of Mr. RIVERS,  I am very saddened and want to send my prayers and thoughts to his family. Mr RIVERS was always so kind and never hesitated sharing his time and extensive knowledge of WWII with all who came and visited Normandy cemetery where I first  met him when working as a guide in Normandy.  God bless him and his family

Brother Phil your dedication to career & family will be cherish and missed!

Phil's passing marked the loss of a true patriot and mentor. As a superintendent and mentor - he was a master of his craft in which he not only attained very high standards but was instrumental in setting them even higher. His attention to detail, perseverance and commitment to U.S Military Cemeteries in Europe as he continued to Honor our fallen are legendary. It is time for those he honored to take another hero into their fold.  May god watch over his family.

Phil, yesterday 29 November 2012, Chris, Sophie, Mike and Me went to the Cemetery to say, Happy Wedding Anniversary, it would have been 42 years and during all those years, you brought me a red rose, so yesterday I did the same, I brought you a red rose. I wanted so much to hold you in my arms, and kiss you, I love you so much my darling, Happy Wedding Anniversary, Bisous Josie

We were shocked to hear the sad news of Phil's passing today.  I would have loved to have attended the service, phil was instrumental with my career at ABMC when stationed at St. James cemetery.  We extend our deepest sympathy to all Phil's family and friends.

Le décès de Monsieur Phil RIVERS m'a très ému,il a été mon Boss pendant 12 années, ainsi que mon collègue et ami.
C'est un homme qui s'est investi sans compter pour remplir sa mission,heureux et fier de représenter le Cimetière Américain de Meuse-Argonne.
Un homme d'histoire et de mémoire, cela a été un privilège pour moi de travailler à ces cotés,il m'a beaucoup appris.
Son souvenir restera à jamais dans ma mémoire et dans mon coeur.
Je souhaite beaucoup de courage à Madame RIVERS, ses enfants et à toute sa famille.
Béatrice, Vanessa,Romain et moi-même Nicolas RAFFA patageons votre peine et présentons toutes nos sincères condoléances.

Words cannot express the sadness I feel, for the passing of my Uncle Phil. He was a great man, which I respected very deeply. He will be missed.

My Uncle Phil lived life with enthusiasm & was a great role model who blessed all who knew him. Love the Texas Keffers

j'avais beaucoup de respect pour Phil Rivers en tant que collègue, tout simplement parce qu'il s'est investi sans compter pour remplir sa mission à l'ABMC avec un réel sans du devoir et de passion pour l'histoire et la mémoire. Je vous adresse mes plus sincéres condoléances et vous souhaite beaucoup de courage.  Patrick JOUAULT

Very sad  to hear about the passing of Mr Rivers  whom I met  at several occasions at   the  Meuse Argonne cemetery   In Romagne France ---My thoughts and prayers are with the  family 

Marijke Taffein

Josie. Sieglinde and I are sorry Phil is gone he was a good and careing man, Will miss him.All our love to you and the children.Frank and Sieglinde Lozon.

I had the honor of meeting Phil Rivers for the first time in 1997 when I was selected to serve under him in Normandy.  I had heard his name often in Tunisia during my first three years with the American Battle Monuments Commission.  Comments were always positive.  He had the reputation of being the best Superintendent in the Commission.  His knowledge of Military History, management, and organizational skills, attention to detail were above the normal standard.  His reputation turned out to be fact.   I learned tremendously during the short six months that we were together but Francine and I were able to foster a professional and personal friendship with Phil and Josie.  We will always cherish the times that we shared and will miss you.  Rest in Peace Phil - Gerry and Francine Arseneault

Chere Madame, Chris & Michael ,

La nouvelle du décès de Phil, parue dans la presse, nous a beaucoup ému. Soyez tous assurés de nos prieres & pensées pour votre cher défunt . Bien sincerement , Rene J. HUARD , Simone & Myriam HUARD - Cidex D1 - 14740 ROSEL , France

Phil was a true friend and a great American.  I do not think there is anyone one else in France who did more to improve the reputation of America there. He went above and beyond to honor and perpetuate the sacrifices of Americans who gave it all in WWI and WWII.  His support for us in Chatel Chehery to construct the Sgt York Historic Trail was invaluable and stands as a monument and testament to Phil's love of country and character as a man of honor.  
COL Douglas Mastriano, US Army
Rebbie Mastriano
Josiah Mastriano

I will miss my Uncle Phil deeply.  He was generous, caring, and full of life.  Taken from us too soon but I consider myself lucky to have know him.  Remembering with you… the life of Phil so dear.

Je suis triste du depart de Phil mais si contente de vous avoir revus tous les deux en Octobre dernier .Je pense tres fort a vous et a vos enfants et vous assure de toute mon amitie .Il y aura toujours une place pour vous chez nous .
Annie

Mr. Rivers helped me discover some of the Oklahoma solders who fought in WWI. He was a fountain of knowledge and I will never forget the day I was able to spend at the cemetery he worked at.

With my most sincere condolences.
Florence Lamousse, Meuse - France.

Dear Phil,Puisse le ciel t'apporter l'apaisement et la paix infinie que tu as merite.Sois fier et heureux.Ton souvenir demeure dans la memoire de tous ceux qui t'on cotoye.Respectfully

Given the brief period I knew Phil, it deeply sorrows me to hear of his passing away.  On behalf of my wife Anna and I we offer our sincere condolences to the Rivers Family.
Lou and Anna Aske

May The Lord Be With You All In Your Time Of Sorrow.

A Brother From 6099

Phil, I can not find the words to express what your friendship meant to me through all the years that we worked together. Thank you for letting me be part of your life.  Bless you, you will always be with us. Josie, Chris and Mike you are in our thoughts.

We, Astrid and Mike Griffin, both were saddened and shocked to learn of Phil's passing. He is one of our heros. 

He received us at the Meuse-Argonne where we were on a quest to find the burial place of my Uncle George who was killed two weeks prior to Armistice. When we introduced ourselves as being from Chattanooga, we thought perhaps he had been "seized with a fit." He couldn't believe the coincidence, nor could we, of us and his immediate family living in Chattanooga! It was a wonderful beginning of a friendship and his completing our mission. 

Phil and his aide Dominique, together with old WWI maps found in the attic of a nearby museum, plus GPS, located where my Uncle had been burried at the spot where he had been killed. He lay in the field until his remains were returned to his home in Michigan three to four years following his death. 

We had two or three follow-up trips to the cemetary in France and each time spent precious moments with Phil. I proudly wear - today - the isignia of the Meuse-Argonne American Battle Monuments Commission, which Phil designed, on my baseball cap. Phil also presented me with a coin commemorating Sgt. Alvin York. 

Another connection with Phil was our visit to Normandy where we saw on the wall a photograph of Phil with Tom Hanks, taking during the filming of "Saving Private Ryan." 

We have truly lost a meaningful person in our lives. We shall always remember him. 

Au revoir cher ami. 
Astrid and Mike, 
Chattanooga, TN

My name is Henri from Periers, Normandy, France, I learnt the sad news of Phil passing from another friend Lee Atkinson and I sprayed that terrible information to as many friends or veterans, who one day or another met Phil or appreciated his more than professional work and help with the next of kin families of the men resting at the Normandy Cemetery and later at Romagne WWI cemetery.
 I am proud to have had with Phil a fidel and precious friend. My wife Janet and I, would like to share our sincere condolence with Jocelyne and every member of Phil family. 
A true friend is gone
Henriglevaufre@orange.fr

My wife and family were very saddended to hear of the the passing of my brother-in-law Phil.  Our deepest regets, thoughts and prayers are with Jocelyne and her family.   I have nothing but fond memories of Phil since I first met him in 1968 when he was a Air Force Staff Sergeant stationed in Wiesbaden as an Aerial Combat Photographer. He was known as the best Crew Chief in the Air Force Audiovisual Service.  Then he married my sister- in-law Jocelyne and was discharged from the Air Force. He began working in the US Civil Service until he obtaind the higher level position with the ABMC.  During their time  in Wiesbaden, Phil and Jocelyne sons Christopher and Michael were born.  Every weekend we participated in German sports events running over 3,000 kilometers in three years.  He was a great athletic and father going on to ABMC to achieve greater rewards. He will never be forgotten by those who knew him or those ten of thousands of visitors he assited during the visits to the ABMC sites. One of the most knowledgable people in the history of World War I and II that I have ever met.
God bless Phil and his family and may he rest in Peace!
Bob & Nicole Keffer

Thank you Phil for your passion, dedication and guidance. He was my boss, quickly became a mentor and friend, and most of all he was like a father. My family and I extend our sincere condolences to Mrs. Rivers, Chris, Mike and the rest of the family.

During a visit to our Normandy American Cemetery in June 1998 I was privileged to meet Mr. Rivers. I was there to have a memorial ceremony for my dad, a fighter pilot who made the supreme sacrifice in the skies of Normandy two weeks after D-Day.  Mr. Rivers was most cordial and welcoming! I will never forget him and his care of our honored dead. May he rest in Heavenly Peace. Amen!

Phil's passing has saddened all of us who knew him and called him friend. He was not only my mentor but also as faithfull a friend as one could ask for.  He will be missed by not only his family but also by many friends and co workers. I am so prowd that he considered me a friend.  Good by Phil, we love you and pray for you.  Lee

I am very sad to hear of the passing of my Uncle Phil. God bless my Aunt Josie, Michael and Chris, he was a good man. May you take comfort in knowing he is with angels now. You are all in my thoughts.. Love Marion Rivers

I had the Pleasure and Honor of knowing and working alongside Phil over the last 11 years. I'm saddened by his sudden departure and want to share my deepest condolences with his family. Phil will be missed by many...

Bobby O. Bell
Superintendent (ABMC)
Henri Chapelle American Cemetery

What a special cousin Phil was and we will miss him very much.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Josie and the children. May the Good Lord give you all peace.

OBITUARY

Joseph Phillip Peter Rivers

January 4, 1947 – November 20, 2012

Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist - East Chapel

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