Philip Gerard Doucette

Philip Gerard Doucette of Revere Street in Gloucester passed away peacefully on July 19, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones.

Phil was born on March 5, 1952 in Haverhill, MA, the fifth child of Bernard and Irene Doucette. A talented singer, bassist and natural-born performer, Phil first discovered his love of singing early in his youth as an altar boy. By the time he was a student at Haverhill High School, he was fronting rock bands. After graduation in 1970, he went to college, but left after a year to go on the road with his band. He toured throughout the early-to-mid 1970s, and after spending a year in Greenville, SC, he returned to his hometown and continued to perform with various groups in the Greater Boston area. It was during these years that he developed a lifelong passion for East Asian philosophy, with the I Ching in particular having a profound and lasting influence throughout his life.

In 1979 he met the love of his life, classical violinist Patricia Knowlton, while performing in Boston with his Southern Rock band Savannah. It was love at first sight and the two musicians married a few years later, living for a time in Boston before settling down permanently in Gloucester where they raised their three sons: Emile (b.1984), Marlon (b.1985), and Leon (b.1989). Once on Cape Ann, Phil became an important part of the local music scene, whether he was hosting a weekly blues jam, or fronting the Megawatt Blues Crushers from 1994-2004. The group was a local favorite, and won Boston's Best Blues Band in 1996.

Despite his talents as a performer, Phil found his true calling as a husband, father and a grandfather. He passed his love of music onto his three sons, putting instruments in their hands when they were barely big enough to hold them, and joining them for jam sessions once they'd learned how to use them. He also encouraged them to pursue their own journeys in the arts, creating a home that nurtured creative expression and the devotion to one's craft.

Phil also loved to share his wisdom with his sons, wife and with anyone else willing to listen. He spoke often of the importance of love and of embracing life's "unknowable" qualities, including death. It was not unusual for Phil, while sitting in the garden with Patty on a perfect summer day to say, "I'm so tired… of counting my blessings," and he meant it. This sense of peace was underpinned by Phil's keen awareness of the things in life that brought him joy, and his talent for knowing how to enjoy them. These were often simple things like spending time with family, swimming in the ocean, working with his hands in the yard, or having cappuccinos by the woodstove with his loving wife. He spoke often of his own good fortune in meeting Patty and starting a family.

As Phil now embarks on his next adventure, he will be remembered for his strong but tender demeanor, his sense of humor, his sonorous voice, his passion for spirited debate, his love of fluorescent spray-paint, the ease with which he would find inspiration in the unlikeliest of places, and his love of love.

Phil's love and legacy live on with his loving wife and soulmate Patty, his three sons and their families: Emile, his wife Emily, and their children Mae, Ruth and Remy; Marlon, his wife Jordan, and their children Rose and Milo; and Leon and his fiancée Melissa; as well as Phil's sisters Andrea, Janice, Denise, Nicole and their families; and the many others whose lives he's touched. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother Leonard.

A celebration of life will be held in September. Please contact the family for further details. Arrangements by the Campbell Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester. Information, directions, condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com