Phil was born on August 5, 1939, in Orange, New Jersey to Marian Conover Erickson and Siegfried Erickson and is predeceased by his brother Robert and his sister Ellen. Until age 10, he lived in Verona, New Jersey.  In 1950, his dad was transferred to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They lived in Rennerdale, Pennsylvania until 1957 when his parents retired to Naples, Florida where Phil graduated high school in 1958.

In October 1958, he joined the US Navy where he attended bootcamp and Hospital Corp School at Great Lakes Training Facility in Illinois.  He was then assigned to Naval Station Hospital, Naples, Italy. The hospital was located high on a hill overlooking Naples Bay and Mount Vesuvius.  26 months later, he was transferred to Receiving Station Brooklyn, New York.  After hours, Phil worked at Flower 5 ^th Avenue Hospital until October 1962 when he was discharged from the Navy.  He then worked for Household Finance Corp, becoming manager of the Nanuet, New York office.  In 1965 he married Renate and eventually had 3 children together.  In 1971, the family moved to a farm on True Brook Road in Saranac, New York, lured by the beauty and peace of the Adirondacks.

Phil worked at Ginsberg Furniture and Stanley Lincoln Mercury prior to returning to school at CVPH School of Nursing in 1975. He graduated in 1978 becoming a Registered Nurse.  After working at CVPH for one year, he joined Clinton Correctional Facility, working 35 plus years, retiring in 2001 and then working per-diem until April 2014.

Phil met and eventually married Cheryl Kellmurray, they spent 26 happy years together. They worked extra-service at Harlem Valley Psych Center, Green Haven Correctional Facility, Woodbourne Correctional Facility and Hudson River Psych center.  In 1975, Phil had rejoined the military in the US Army Reserves, spending eight years in the Vermont Army National Guard, then returning to the Army Reserves; retiring in 1996 with a total 26 years of service to his country and the rank of Captain, USAR.

Phil enjoyed his retirement, pursuing hobbies of fishing, hiking, road trips to see the country and family, especially Spring trips to Tybee Island, GA, and completing many do-it-yourself projects.  He joined the Adirondack Mountain Club, Algonquin Chapter and became Chairman of the local chapter for four years, leading many hikes and outings with friends and members.  As a preteen, he was introduced to World War II aircraft by a neighbor, it became a lifelong passion and resulted in yearly trips to World War II events in Reading, Pennsylvania at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum where aircraft are displayed and flown, many weekends in the 1960's spent at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome, and for his 75 ^th Birthday, returning to Rhinebeck to enjoy a 1929 Bi-plane ride over the Hudson Valley, outfitted with goggles and leather skullcap.

He is survived by his loving wife Cheryl Kellmurray, son Carl and (Julie) Erickson of Fairfax, VA; daughters Linda Erickson of Albany, NY, Jennifer and (Darko) Erickson of Cary, NC; stepchildren Lisa and (Jesse), Alex, Laura and (Michael), Peter and (Stella); grandchildren Liv, Conrad, Finn, Ammon, Una, Theo, Olivia and Kieran; and many nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held this Friday, November 25th from 3:00pm to 4:30pm at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home, with services to follow at 4:30 in the funeral home chapel.

Share a photo, story or condolence with the family by visiting www.rwwalkerfh.com .

Please consider donating to Phil's favorite charities - The Brigid Project at: https://thebrigidproject.org/ and The Hospice of the North Country: https://www.hospicenc.org/donate