Philip John Turrie

Philip John Turrie was born on April 29, 1937, in Rochester, NY, and passed away peacefully with his wife Helen by his side on June 1, 2024. He was predeceased by his mother, Doris Turrie, biological father, Steve Adams, father, Elmer Turrie, and brother, Stephen Turrie. He is survived by his ‘wonderful and beautiful’ wife of 64 years, Helen B. Turrie and his sister, Maryanne Karcher (Jim), his daughters, Michele (Norm), Geri (Steve), and Jolene, and his son David (Lori). He was a cherished grandfather to 11 grandchildren and a proud great-grandfather to 11 great-grandchildren. In addition, he was also an uncle to many nieces and nephews. His family was the cornerstone of his life, and he took immense joy in their accomplishments and happiness. A graduate of Hanover College, Phil embarked on a distinguished 35-year career with IBM, where he was admired for his dedication and professional excellence.  IBM relocated Phil and his family from Poughkeepsie to Rochester to Syracuse to Buffalo and finally to Atlanta, where Phil finished his career. Phil’s family and friends were concerned and surprised when he retired at 57 as Phil was so active with his work; however, Phil did not hesitate to devote himself to charitable work to give back to his community. He founded Interfaith, Companion, and Ride Express (ICARE).  ICARE was established to provide disadvantaged seniors with transportation to their medical appointments.  Under Phil’s leadership, ICARE provided over 2,000 rides a year in the city of Atlanta.  Phil was also committed to his charity work through the Church.  He participated in the St. Vincent de Paul Outreach Program in The Villages for over 10 years and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.  His focus was always giving back to those less fortunate. In addition to charity work, Phil and Helen spent many years traveling extensively around the world. Their travels included trips to Europe, Costa Rica, the Galapagos, China, Russia, and Africa to name of few.  Phil documented and shared travel experiences with his children and grandchildren and loved to recount situations that took him and Helen out of their comfort zone, such as horseback riding through streams and mud-ridden mountains in Costa Rica or getting chased by an elephant in Africa when Phil offered to share his beloved peanuts. Phil had many interests and a competitive spirit, and their move to the Villages allowed him to enjoy all the sports he loved on a daily basis. He  played softball, golf, tennis, and pickleball. But for Phil, one activity a day was not enough. In addition to competitive activities, he would also bike, swim, exercise, read, and complete puzzles.  As much as Phil enjoyed all his sports and hobbies, his greatest enjoyment was spending time with his family. Playing with his children and grandchildren on the beach or on courts or on courses was so rewarding to Phil, and especially seeing his offspring excel in their endeavors gave him great pleasure. Yet, equally valuable to him was participating in thought-provoking conversations with close family and friends. Phil was a great listener and was always interested in what others had to say. His appreciation for life and the opportunities it presented   left an impression on everyone he met. Phil believed the best way to celebrate life was to live and embrace life to its fullest with open arms and mind.  He loved his family and his God deeply. Phil’s strong faith and relationship with God gave him the strength and love to battle the health issues he faced the latter years of his life.  He will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to his family, his professional achievements, his positive outlook, and his kind, generous spirit. His legacy of love and dedication will continue to inspire all who knew him. A private memorial service for the family will be held at his home in The Villages. To honor Philip John Turrie’s memory, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the following charitable organizations: St. Paul Catholic School 1322 Sunshine Ave Leesburg, FL. 34748 Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. www.themmrf.org/ www.hanover.edu