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Philip J. Morabito

FUNERAL HOME

Vay-Schleich & Meeson Funeral & Cremation Chapels - Greece Chapel

1075 Long Pond Road

Rochester, New York

Philip Morabito Obituary

Morabito, Philip J.

Rochester: January 17, 2016 at age 92. Predeceased by his loving wife, Nancy (Simeone) Morabito; brothers & Sister, Vincent, Joseph, Anthony Morabito & Virginia Cimino. Survived by sons, David (Anita) of Rochester, Philip (Joan) of Houston, Bruno (Tracy) of Las Vegas; daughters, Kathleen (Raymond) Marsh of Rochester, Barbara (Gary) Merkle of Dallas; 12 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; brothers, Bruno (Marie), Paul (Loretta) Morabito; sisters, Frances Farinella, Mary Renna, Jean Mayer, Nellie (Dan) Canzano; many loving family & dear friends.

Philip was a proud veteran of the United States Navy and served our Country in the WWII & the Korean War. He is a retiree of Eastman Kodak Co., a member of AMPS, Just Poets and a choir member with St. Kateri Parish. He was an avid songwriter, poet and loved to perform. He enjoyed the outdoors and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Philip's visitation will be held Tuesday, Jan. 19th 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM at Vay-Schleich & Meeson Funeral Home, 1075 Long Pond Rd. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, Jan. 20th 11:00 AM at St. Salome Church 44282 Culver Road. Entombment, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Honor Flight or to the Sisters of St. Joseph in his memory. For more information and to sign his online guestbook, visit www.meesonfamily.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Rochester Democrat And Chronicle on Jan. 19, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for Philip Morabito

15 Entries

Frank Judge

May 28, 2016

Phil was one of those rare people one meets throughout life that I could say I truly loved, a wonderful soul whom I was proud to count among my dear friends.
Singing was one of his passions (he also wrote many songs), he was a member of several choirs, and he always had a poem to share with a friend or stranger. He was also a strong supporter of our literary group, Rochester Poets.
Since Phil moved to St. Ann's he and I planned to visit our mutual friend Peggy Baumler in Sanborn, NY; to get together for lunch; and to visit other friends he hadn't seen because he no longer drove. Sadly, those plans never came to pass -- a cautionary tale about putting things off when one reaches a certain age!
I hadn't spoken with Phil in several weeks when, in early December, I suffered a near-fatal bout of pneumonia and wound up in a coma for five weeks. Ironically, as I later learned, Phil's health was deteriorating during this same period. And he and I weren't too far away from each other in Highland Hospital -- he passed as I was recovering.
So I was stunned and saddened when the news reached me a week or so later -- I wasn't able to participate in any of his services.
Happily, another literary group, Just Poets, recently organized a memorial reading for Phil and three other area poets who passed away over the last year. So, I wrote a poem in Phil's honor, which I read at the event and have copied below.

Dear Phil
for Phil Morabito

This is to say I can't believe
we never got to say goodbye
after all the times we planned
to lunch together and I'd drive us
to some of our friends
since you'd given up driving.

My only excuse is I never
knew you were so ill.
In fact, though I didn't know it
at the time, I was less
than a hundred yards away
in your final days,
trying to stay alive
in a world of dreams
in the ICU while you fought
your final battle in those
dark days of January.

I dreamt we were playing
pool again at the Fisher
Campus Center, you showing
me your best shots,
and then teaching me
how to make a lure as
we fished on a late fall
afternoon on Irondequoit Bay.

I still recall the watermelon
swans you carved for our
Rochester Poets summer
picnics, your poems that
you gave to total strangers
as gifts in restaurants, waiting
rooms, parking lots, whenever
you met a kindred spirit,
which was often.

I recall how much you loved
to sing in the choirs you joined,
how you always made a point
of inviting me to a Christmas
concert. And the many songs
you wrote, even recording a bunch
you'd accompany yourself with
when you performed them
at open mics around the county.

I recall one of the last times
I saw you, when we visited
our friend Peggy near Lockport,
almost getting lost searching
for the old airbase officers'
quarters that was literally
hidden from the road.
How we all laughed at
the old days, how happy
we were to see her so much
better than she had been,
her main regret that she had
no one to share poems with,
no class to teach.

I recall your stories of the Navy
in World War II and Korea,
of meeting your wife and
losing her, a hurt so deep
it moved you to write poems.

It was weeks after I came
out of my coma in January
before I learned you were gone.
Your phone had no message
and I had no computer
to look up your obit, to find
any of your family. Finally,
like an answered prayer,
your daughter Kathy somehow
found me at the hospital,
and we shared memories
and tears over your loss.

You were one of happiest
people I ever knew.
And thinking of you,
your smile and laugh
always brings a smile
to my face, a warmth to my heart.
I envied your devout faith
a faith we both grew up in
but I'd long ago come to doubt
your going to mass and taking
Communion nearly every day,
your promise of many prayers
and masses when my partner
fell victim to unspeakable tragedy.
So I have no doubt you're
at your happiest now, reunited
forever with your beloved Nancy
in a new and better world.
All my love, old friend,
Frank

Maureen Unterborn

January 25, 2016

From the Quealy family our deepest sympathies
Phil was a dear friend of John and Teresa
Many fond memories
He will be missed

Maureen Unterborn

January 25, 2016

From the Quealy family our deepest sympathies
Phil was a dear friend of John and Teresa
Many fond memories
He will be missed

January 20, 2016

sorry to learn of phil's death. i worked at dpi with him.
matt cornelia

January 20, 2016

May the God of all comfort be with you in this time of mourning. My condolences to the family on the loss of your loved one (psalm 145:18,,19)

January 20, 2016

Sincere condolences to Phil's family as you cope with the pain of loss. Were I not in FL I would attend his Funeral Mass.
Prayerfully,
Fr. Al Delmonte

Steve West

January 19, 2016

Phil used to come to an open mic that I hosted and sing songs that he had written for his wife and his grandchildren. He was a true gentleman.

tom lakas

January 19, 2016

I did not know Mr. Morabito but his son Dave is my neighbor and friend. Knowing that Dave is a genuine and caring person tells me Mr. Morabito was a man of great character and values.

Sarah Weatherley

January 19, 2016

Phil brought so much joy to the Rochester poetry community, pure joy. He will be missed. Although I have relocated to the UK, when I think of poetry and Rochester I will always remember Phil fondly.

Claudia Bell

January 19, 2016

A wonderful man has gone home to his father. I think of you often Phil.You will be missed.
PHil was a great one for coming to my house with some poetry he wrote or to sing a song he composed. He loved his wife dearly and will finally be reunited with her. My condolences to his family and friends. He will always be one of the good ones.

Lisa Tantalo

January 19, 2016

My Uncle Phil was a kind and gentle soul. He was always happy to see me when I would run into him at Wegmans or Uncle Danny's in Irondequoit. What I remember most is how much he loved Aunt Nancy and many of his poems were about her. Aunt Nancy was always the life of the party and how happy they were together. Uncle Phil you will be deeply missed but there are so many happy memories that will live on. Our deepest sympathy to my cousins Barb, Kathy, David, Philip, and Bruno. With much love, Lisa & Jon Tantalo

Anne Trocano

January 19, 2016

Dear Morabito Cousins,

Our deepest sympathy on the passing of your Dad.

Simply stated, our Uncle Phil was a wonderful family man and the kindness man that we ever knew. He will be sadly missed by all.

With love,
Anne, Rick, Christopher & Stephanie

Karen LePore

January 19, 2016

Dear Morabito Family - We are so sorry to hear of Phil's passing. Phil was a great man who I have known since I was very young. He spent hours in our basement cleaning fish and making fishing lures with my father. I ran into him a few years ago and had a great conversation with him. He and my mom remained friends after my father's passing although she has not seen him in the last few years since she now lives in Florida. He lived a long and interesting life and I am sure that you are honored to have him for your father.

Eric Sorrentino

January 18, 2016

I am so saddened by the loss of one of the greatest individuals I ever knew - and I am proud that he was an Amazing Uncle! He was also a great brother(-in-law) to my Mom, Florie. She thought of him as her brother.

There are so many memories to share (such as him taking me bowling, fishing, etc) but most of all, I am so honoured that Uncle Phil came to my home, in London, Ontario, in 2002, and again in 2004. My kids will always cherish their framed copy of the special prayer he wrote for each of their baptisms, and he we were fortunate that he attended both of their ceremonies.

Uncle Phil also entertained us all, at each baptism reception of theirs, with his original poems and songs.

God Bless u, Uncle Phil. U will always be missed. I'm glad my kids were able to meet you a few times, and they were happy to share you 90th Bday bash with you, too!!! My wife, Emily, and her parents, thought of Uncle Phil as their "Zio" as well! Xoxoxo

I want to give my love to the Morabito Family, and in particular, my Godmother (and cousin) Barbara, cousins Phillip, David, Kathy, Bruno, and all of their respective families... xoxoxo

Judy Giordano

January 18, 2016

Phil and family, My condolences. Your Dad was a wonderful and thoughtful man. I remember his beautiful poetry and how he so thoughtfully consoled my mom when my dad passed away.

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