Philip Bruce Stine

When the family returned to Michigan, Phil excelled in music at an early age singing harmony in the children’s choir. His early interest in music led him to find many stations on the old Hoffman radio late at night. He introduced his younger siblings to his unending store of knowledge and music and kept notebooks, lists and statistics on all topics that interested him. Later he played piano, sang leading roles in high school Gilbert & Sullivan productions and toured Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries with the 1963 Michigan Youth for Understanding Chorale.

Phil loved cars and could identify most makes and models during family road trips. He loved his British racing green Triumph TR-4 convertible and then later owned an early 1960s blue Chevy Impala Super Sport. All other cars were so tame after riding with Phil in those classic cars.

In 1966, Phil chose to sign up with the US Marine Corps and was quickly shipped off to Vietnam as a mortar man in Charlie Company. He saw fierce fighting during the Tet Offensive and at Hill 881 before returning home with battle scars seen and unseen and a Purple Heart. Phil always celebrated the Marine Corps birthday and made sure everyone sang happy birthday and ate cake in its honor.

Phil attended schools in Grand Rapids and Howell, Michigan before enjoying his high school years and graduating in 1964 from Brighton High School in Brighton, Michigan. He loved all sports and lettered in football and track at the high school level. After serving with the Marines, he immediately made good use of the GI Bill and graduated from Cedarville College, Cedarville, OH, with a BA in English and Teacher Certification in English and Psychology in 1973. He also lettered in track at Cedarville. He earned an MA in School Administration from Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, MI in 1980. Phil continued his education with a lifetime of reading, and his bookshelves were filled with biographies, histories and concordances.

Phil served as Principal and School Administrator at private Baptist schools in Indiana from 1977 - 1982 and loved to surprise anyone who asked by answering that he had 256 children. Phil truly found his calling when he began working in sales, first at Cook Communications and followed by many years with Moody Press as the Northwest regional sales manager. His territory included many of the northwestern states, Alaska and Hawaii, and his love of travel was legendary. He enjoyed presidential birthplaces, museums, historic places, stadiums and countless sporting events at the professional and collegiate levels. He often invited family and friends to travel with him for sightseeing and sports events in many states. Although Phil enjoyed all of his travels, Michigan remained his home in his heart.

Phil was predeceased by his parents, Bruce and Otillia Stine, paternal grandparents, George Herman and Mabel Rachel Gleasure Stine, maternal grandparents, Adam and Johanna Rephuhn Yurk, and dearly loved aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Phil is survived by his loving family—Susan and David Sanders, Sharon and Rudolf Schaefer, Jonathan and Ruth Ann Mullen, Daniel and Grace Terry, and Julianne and Duane Venhuizen; Jonathan’s children Dion, Mikaela and Jorey and Jorey’s son Rylan; Daniel’s children Jason Richey and Tracy and children Taylor and Rylen, Britta Stine and Alex Domino and son Elian, Stanley Stine and Nicole Wallace; Julianne’s darlings Briana and Teah and their families. Also survived by many cousins and their families and friends in California, Michigan, Colorado, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Arizona and Washington.

Vascular dementia took Phil slowly and diminished his memories, but his loving family will never forget Phil’s stories, jokes and sayings. His generous spirit, enthusiasm for life, travel stories, special renditions of happy birthday and wonderful gifts, especially those $2 bills, will always be remembered.

Phil’s family appreciates the wonderful support of Dr. Amy Thomas and the VA geriatrics clinic staff, Dr. Jaime Novais and the loving and caring staff at Columbia Lutheran Home. Final arrangements entrusted to Acacia Funeral Home whose staff took great care of every detail for our dearly loved brother. Military honors were arranged by and performed at Acacia Funeral Home followed by interment at Tahoma National Cemetery.