Philip Warner Hodgkins

1946-2014

Philip Warner Hodgkins, 68, of Searsport, Maine, passed away Monday, September 15, 2014, at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine, surrounded by his family. Phil was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 12, 1946, to Frederick Warner and Helen (Cummings) Hodgkins. The family moved to Sandwich, Massachusetts, when he was 3 years old and he attended 12 years at Henry T. Wing School there.

After graduation, Phil joined the Army and did a tour overseas, primarily in Germany. Upon his return, he went to work at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute as a chief engineer on the research vessel Lulu. The Lulu was best known for carrying the Alvin, a deep-sea submersible vehicle, across the equator to the Galapagos Rift. This trip earned Philip the distinguished title of "Crusty Shellback" on 2/17/77. He was later employed for 27 years as a tugboat captain for Packer Marine Company, based in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts.

In 1988, Philip moved to Maine to be close to his family, maintaining a home in Searsport while continuing to commute to his work. He was never far from the ocean; he lived, loved and worked all of his adult life there. Phil loved his family, his friends, his walks on Sears Island, motorcycles and being a tugboat captain; he will be terribly missed.

Philip was predeceased by his parents; and infant sister Melanie Hodgkins. He is survived by his loving sister, Doris (Hodgkins) Morris; and his brother, Stephen (and wife Jo-Ellen) Hodgkins, both of Fayette, Maine; his nieces, Adrienne Lucey (Thomas), and Melanie Lessard (Mark); nephew Jason Curtis (Amy); and great-nieces and -nephew: Emma, Charlotte, Nathan, Isabel and Sophie.

A celebration of Phil's life is planned for a later date, to be announced; his family will have a private gathering at his final resting place at Fayette Mills Cemetery in Fayette, Maine.