Philip Norman Reiker

1956 - 2020

Philip Norman Reiker
July 21, 1956- September 3, 2020
Resident of La Selva Beach
Resident Of La Selva Beach

A memorial webcast and Celebration of life ceremony take place on Saturday for longtime Santa Cruz County resident Phil Reiker. Phil passed away at home with his loving family at his bedside. Phil stoically hid his pain while battling cancer for the last 18 months, he was 64 years old.
Phil was born in Denver Colorado to Thomas and Jeanette Murgatroyd. He grew up in Denver being the youngest child of 6 in an active Walton type family environment. Phil graduated Washington High School in June 1974 and Colorado State University in June 1979 with degrees in Turf Management and Landscape Architecture. Phil moved to Santa Cruz California the summer of 1979 and worked in the turf farming and landscape supply industry for others until he established Jetmulch Company in October 1996. He is so very proud of Jet Mulch and his employees and how very hard everyone worked together to succeed! Over the years Phil's love for working in the landscape industry saw him as a travelling sales rep. and spokesman and finally business owner always adding green beauty to the world. He was active in the California Landscape Contractors Association for many years and loved schmoozing with anyone associated with it. Phil collected lifelong friends and associates everywhere he went with his award winning smile, wit, knowledge and logic! Phil met Sharene Green in 1988 and they married in 1991. Phil adopted Sharene's Son Eric and they had their Daughter Sally. Phil loved being a Grandfather to Keely. Phil loved to travel the world with his family and friends especially on cruise ships! He loved to hike and was a springtime skier. Phil was a closet inventor and guitar musician who loved watching science, nature, large construction, engineering and History channel documentaries. He loved visiting family in Colorado over the years and locally getting together with our many friends and going out to music and diner. He loved all our friends dearly like family! Before he passed he shared how he looked back over his life, and loved all that he had accomplished so much of all the people he loved, and was so very blessed and felt he had a life well lived with no regrets.
Phil is survived by his beloved wife Sharene "Sherry" Reiker of La Selva Beach, his Daughter Sally Rose, Son Eric Reiker Green and Granddaughter Keely Green of Santa Cruz, his Colorado family Brother & Sister John and Kim Reiker, Sister Sherry Gillespi, his Brother Robert McCutchen in Palm Springs, Mother Jeanette Murgatroyd and Sister Jeanie along with Nieces and Nephews. Phil leaves behind a host of friends and extended family. He wanted to extend a special thank you and love to Kelly Fawcett Routh for being there, caring for him and his family, and making everyone smile and laugh that last 6 weeks along with Joy Lowell for several of those last 6 weeks as well. They could not have done this, despite these COVID times, without all your love and care.
There will be a memorial ceremony webcast at Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel this Saturday, September 19th at 11:00 a.m. The link to join the ceremony is https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/745161234
Any acts of charity can be made in Philip's name to Pajaro Valley Loaves And Fishes (pvloavesandfishes.org) or Doctors Without Borders, his two favorite charities. THANK YOU


View the online memorial for Philip Norman Reiker