Herbert Philpott

Herbert Francis "Herb" Philpott, 62, of Acton MA, died suddenly on June 13, 2025, while hiking Mount Greylock in Williamstown MA.
He was born on December 26, 1962, in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of the late Herbert John and Sandra Simpson Philpott. Herb had lived in Acton since 2020, and previously lived in Waltham, Medford, and Canton, Massachusetts, as well as in San Jose, California.
He was the beloved husband of Sandra (Metcalf) Philpott, whom he married on April 12, 2008.
A 1981 graduate of Thayer Academy in Braintree, Herb earned his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1985, where he was a proud member of Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) fraternity. His professional life was spent in high-tech industries, beginning in California, where he worked for Steve Jobs at NeXT Computer and later at Apple. Upon returning to Massachusetts, he held positions including Senior Program Manager at Teradyne and Principal Consultant and Associate Director of Business Relationship Management at Wolters Kluwer.
Herb was a dedicated volunteer throughout his life. He served in several positions for the Alumni and Volunteer Corporation (AVC) for SigEp Alpha and was honored with the 2015 Distinguished Volunteer Award. A proud Freemason, he was a longtime member of Garden City (now Moses Michael Hays) Lodge in Newton MA, and was named Mason of the Year in 2023. He volunteered with the Cub Scouts in both Waltham and Acton, and served as Assistant Scoutmaster and Outdoor Activities Chair for his son's BSA Scout troop, Troop 1 Acton, and frequently supported his younger daughter's BSA troop, Troop 12 Acton.
An avid supporter of the arts, Herb was active with Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston in Waltham for many years, serving as its production photographer and performing in numerous shows, including 1776, It's Christmastime, Remembering the '40s, Say It with Music, and A Little Bit of Ireland, often sharing the stage with his wife and children. He also served on the board of the Acton-Boxborough Friends of Music (ABFOM).
Herb was a devoted member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Acton, and served in many capacities at every church he attended.
In addition to Sandy, his wife of 17 years, Herb is survived by his daughter Rosemary Parker and her husband Nolan, of Tulsa OK; son Ryan Philpott, 15, and younger daughter Katie Philpott, 13, both of Acton MA; sister Holly Costa and her husband Jim, of Cape Coral FL; sister-in-law Pauline Belmontet-Philpott, of Vieux-Boucau les Bains, France; and nieces and nephew Kayla Costa, Valentine Philpott, Emma Philpott, and Troy Costa.
A memorial service followed by a reception will be held at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 472 Massachusetts Avenue, Acton MA on Saturday, June 21, at 10:00am. Please proceed directly to the church. Friends are invited to attend, and colorful clothing is requested. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Herb's name may be made to "Troop 1 Acton" C/O Peter Murphy, 11 Faulkner Hill Rd., Acton, MA 01720, or to "Moses Michael Hays Lodge" C/O Steve Cohn, 10 Hemlock Terrace, Randolph, MA 02368.