Dedicated to Friends, Past and Present

“If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on now ‘cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see.”
-Opening Verse of one of Phil’s favorite songs “Free Bird”

Phillip Wayne Larson splashed down into the Sunshine State on December 6, 1951.  He was the first of three better-looking-and-smarter-than-average children born to the gregarious Reverend Alfred Larson and his beautiful, blushing bride Barbara.  Phil’s childhood was filled by many archaic activities children today would only be able to read about on their cell phones, such as basement skateboarding, body surfing in the Florida Atlantic, camping and white water river rafting in the back wood wilds of Georgia, ping pong tournaments, tennis, football, harassing his younger siblings, and pestering his parents with, “Are we there yet?” when traveling as the family desperately searched the AAA guide to find hotels with swimming pools.

A brilliant student and hard partying fraternity brother, Phillip attended Georgia Southern University, where he attained his Bachelor of Arts in History.  This was followed a few years later by a Master of Arts in Public Administration, the first steps in his diabolical scheme for world domination.  (Phil was almost as proud of the degrees he earned as he was of the poker games he organized and winning the Southern Airlines costume contest dressed as Fruit of the Loom.) 

As a young adult, Phil pursued a “live fast, die young” lifestyle.  His obsession with the magic of mind-altering medications led him to enter the world of work through Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals.  And his passion for travel led him to end his career as an employee of Northwest Airlines, taking advantage of work perks to sunbathe in such exotic coastal locales as Greece, Jamaica, and Australia.  He relished cross country drives with his younger brother, blasting Lynyrd Skynyrd far too loudly (they were both hard of hearing, possibly because of these trips) and experiencing other adventures that probably should be mentioned, but we have not yet had the opportunity to look up the relevant statutes of limitations prior to sending this obit to press under deadline.

Phillip was a voracious reader of sci-fi, fantasy, and history.  He appreciated classic cinema as much as he loved the action and aesthetics of Game of Thrones.  He was an avid competitor in board, card, and dice games.  He was the undisputed King of Trivia, was never wrong and highly opinioned about every controversial subject, and absolutely could not stand having another human being in his vicinity while he was managing the logistics of cooking or grilling.

In his later days, Phil reveled in a relaxing smoke and a strong drink.  He never lost his enthusiasm for Florida football (Go, Gators!), a good movie, or actresses who were equally attractive from all angles.  Although he would have never admitted this himself, Phil also had a kind heart and a gentle soul. Phil regularly contributed to both the Humane Society and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.  He truly had a soft spot for homeless animals.  He loved his family very much and very loudly.  He still called his retired younger brother “Kiddo” until the day he died of a broken heart, October 11, 2024, just 75 days after losing his devoted Dad.

Phillip is preceded in death by his parents and his favorite sister Toni Marie.  He is survived by his spoiled-rotten fur baby Snoopy, his younger brother Brett, his nephew Cory, an extensive extended family, one former wife, one unrequited love, and far too many ex-girlfriends for us to count.  Phil would also like to recognize his neighbor Sarah, “an angel on earth” as he called her, who, along with her family, went above and beyond to look out for both him and his father during their final days.

In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Phillip by phoning a loved one with whom you’ve lost touch, feeding a plate of liverwurst and aged parmesan to a stray cat, and not missing your opportunity to speak out and vote against the fascism of Donald J. Trump.

Cagle Funeral Home proudly serving Phillip Larson and family.Type your paragraph here.

Phillip Wayne Larson
December 6, 1051 - October 21, 2024

Obituary​