Philip Wilens

1921 - 2023

WILENS

PHILIP WILENS (Age 102)

Philip Wilens, known to his loved ones as Phil or "Pop-Pop", passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 30, 2023, surrounded by family in Arlington, Virginia. He is survived by his beloved "girls": his daughter Leslie (Dennis) Curley; his granddaughters Alexandra and Katherine (Brant Levine); and his great-granddaughters Maya and Esther. He was preceded in death by his wife, the former Doris Wolfman, and his daughter Patricia Wilens.



Phil was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 21, 1921, to David and Becky Wilinsky. Phil was the youngest of four brothers. He was a proud graduate of Stuyvesant High School and went on to attend Brooklyn College until he was drafted into the United States Army. Phil valiantly served in World War II as a Staff Sergeant with the 104th Infantry (Timberwolf) Division. His heroic efforts fighting the Nazis earned him the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Purple Heart, and Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster. After his service in the Army, Phil graduated from Brooklyn Law School and dedicated his professional career to public service. He served as an Investigator-Attorney with the New York State Liquor Authority from 1951 to 1957, and then moved his family to the DC area to join the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in 1957.



Phil relished his work at the Justice Department, so much so that he served for over 25 years there. A respected prosecutor, Phil served successively as the Head of the Special Prosecutions Unit of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, Deputy Chief of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Chief of the Government Regulations and Labor Section, and was the Director of the Office of Enforcement Operations at the time of his retirement in 1982. Among other accolades, he was recognized by then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy for his sustained superior performance to the Justice Department.



Phil appreciated traveling, classical music, and a good joke. In his retirement, he was active in annual Timberwolf reunions which brought him and his family to different cities all over the country. We (Pop-Pop's family) delighted in traveling with him to these events, most notably joining him in 2011 on a trip to France, Belgium, and Holland for the "Follow in Their Footsteps" Timberwolf European Battlefield Tour.



Other fond memories with Pop-Pop are trips to Florida and Spain, outings to Broadway plays, and many meals at the Parkway Deli and the Rascal House in Florida. We are blessed by our memories of his intelligence, positive spirit, and his wonderful laugh.



Services will be held privately in Florida. Shiva will be observed at the home of Leslie and Dennis Curley on Tuesday, January 9, at 6:30 p.m.



In lieu of flowers, donations in Phil's memory can be made to a favorite charity of your choice.