PHILIP RAY HART

I have just read about Phil Hart's death and offer my regrets. He was ascholarly, pious, and affectionate teacher whom I enjoyed seeing at meetings as the years went by. He left his mark on my life, and I am grateful for having known and having studied with him.

Sincerely,
Pete Ford, Class of 1965

Mrs. Hart, Dr. Hart led me to the Lord in a revival at Beulah Baptist Church, Aylett, Va March 11, 1952 at age 12. I had the pleasure of taking New Testament under him at U of R as a sophomore in 1960. He was a kind and gentle spirit who never forgot my name whenever I saw him after my graduation. My sincere condolences to you and your family as Heaven entertains a saint.

To the Hart family,
Our earliest memories of a family pastor are of Phil Hart when your family served Berea Baptist as interim in the early 1960's. We are keeping you in our prayers as you celebrate his life, especially the fond memories we share of that trip-of-a-lifetime for our grandmother and the homegoing services he lead for our loved ones. God bless you. The Elbert Noel family--Elsie & Jane

Phil, deepest sympathy on the passing of your father. You are in my prayers this week.

Dear Hart Family,

Although I was a Spanish major, Dr. Hart and his classes were my favorites at UR. He was such a kind, intelligent, and thoughtful man who will be greatly missed, but will live on through his students.

With deepest sympathy,

Rebecca Wright Westhampton Class of '73

Jean, Philip. Steve, and family:
I have been blessed in my life with many great teachers, perhaps none as important to my own intellectual and spiritual growth as Dr. Hart. He was my undergraduate advisor, my mentor, and my friend. He taught me much about the Christian scriptures and even more about the joy and love of learning. He helped me to recognize that the integration of the intellect and the spirit was a moral responsibility we all share, and is essential to a life of meaning, purpose and service. He helped me to trust in my own abilities and insights, and pushed me to be courageous and explore new ideas and experiences. As a teacher, he was as challenging and demanding as he was pastoral. I still remember those moments in his classes where the whole world seemed to open up before me. I will always treasure the extended conversations we shared on a wide range of topics, just for the fun of it. We continued those conversations long after I graduated, through infrequent lunches when visiting Richmond, at professional meetings, in letters and cards during the holidays.
During my four brief years in Richmond, and for all the years that followed, he taught me more than I could have ever realized. I will always be grateful to be known as one of his students. He was my teacher. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Scott Hudgins, RC ‘1985

As we ended an All Saints' Sunday celebration at Grace Baptist, I received word that Phil Hart, one of God's truest and dearest saints had been welcomed into God's loving arms. With thanks for his fine scholarship, friendship, encouragement as a student and a minister, I grieve the loss of a wonderful man who took time for people. Thanks be to God, for this good and faithful servant.

I am so grateful for his role in my academic and ministerial life. He was encourager, both at UR, and in my ministry after graduation. I will keep the family in my prayers. Blessings, Rock Higgins

Mrs. Hart, Philip, Steve, and family,
I was so sorry to hear of the passing of your husband, father, grandfather and so on. Philip, you are my oldest friend and I have known your father through those many years. I 've known him as a very kind, caring, and gentle man. I feel privileged to have known him. I am sure you will all miss him very much, as well I'm sure will the numerous people throughout the world he has touched.
God bless you all! My thoughts and prayers are with you! Jimmy