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Phil Jr. posted a condolence
Friday, November 25, 2011
EULOGY for Philip Sr. The world has lost a very good and kind man and heaven has surely gained one more soul with the passing of Philip Louis McQuillan. To say that he was loved and admired would be an understatement. But that’s okay, considering that understatement was a constant theme in Philip’s life. Our father never overstated anything, ever. He certainly never overstated his own importance. The irony of that is that his actual importance to us couldn’t possibly be stated enough. We all knew him as a man of simple pleasures who loved reading, cooking and getting in a few rounds of golf or tennis. A swim in the ocean, a game of cards, classical music and great literature... these were a few of his favorite things. And it always seemed that whatever he was doing, that was his favorite thing too. I have yet to meet anyone with so few dislikes, so few complaints and such a wonderful acceptance of life just as it is. In family circles he was often called Big Philip. Big Philip would spice up his conversation with quotes and references to Shakespeare, Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas among others. He loved poetry very much, especially Shakespeare’s sonnets and Robert Frost, and read them frequently. He had a way with words himself and had his own choice phrases and favorite sayings. At the same time, he was a very down to earth and simple man. He could laugh easily at any good joke, but most of the time HE was the one making others laugh. He had his own inimitable brand of understated humor. That, by the way, was one of his favorite words. Inimitable. A wonderful word that describes him completely; he was indeed one of a kind! Looking back, Philip’s marvelous sense of humor and willingness to help are what will always be most memorable to me. That and the image of him tossing a kitchen towel over his left shoulder as he went about cooking and serving the meals. And serve he did for more than half a century as a husband and a father and a good friend. If ever there were a man, happy and willing to serve others, that was Philip. Funny thing about him was, he never wrote anything much down on paper. Maybe because he was too busy living in the present moment. After all, most of what is written down speaks of the past or looks to the future, and Phil McQuillan had a definite talent for living in the moment. He didn't dispense much advice to others but one of his favorite sayings was, “Live in the Now moment�. He repeated that often because he believed in it deeply. And he lived that way very faithfully. I'm sure he would want us all to just get on with our lives as quickly as possible, even on a day like today. Everything he believed in he believed in under all circumstances. I can still hear him saying, “Let's not make a big fuss over it�. That was his trademark remark. No fuss, no getting upset. And a sense of letting things flow naturally. He once said emphatically to our mother in the car – (she was concerned about how we were going to find a certain street address we were looking for in the city) – he said, “Just watch it happen�. That was his polite way of saying be quiet, I can handle it! And he always could handle things, in his calm, cool and collected way. “Simplify, simplify� was another of his favorite sayings. He was a practical man and had a vast store of practical wisdom. “Pull your hair every day�, he’d say, “it's good for the follicles�; that and dozens of other pronouncements like that were the stuff of everyday conversation in the McQuillan household. And he practiced what he preached …he was perfectly happy with a used Volkswagen Bug for transportation and a game of 500 Rummy would do for a night of family fun at home. His favorite spot in spring and summer would be the vegetable garden out back, and many a good fresh meal came out of it. Philip was a schoolteacher but no story about Philip would be complete without mentioning his famous afternoon nap or his penchant for standing on his head. Both were after school activities of course! As many of you know Philip taught English Literature at Millville High School for more than twenty years. He was well known for his fair and balanced approach to teaching. He was also heard on radio station WMVB weekends at night with news and classical music. I’m sure there are some people here that listened to his shows. Thank you all for coming here today to celebrate the life of Philip Louis McQuillan. He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered. I know that Philip would not have wanted us to focus much on that part, because he always looked on the bright side of things. For him living with a quiet joy in the present moment was always the best thing to do. It's up to us to follow his example today and focus on the blessings that Philip will surely receive in the next life. Let us now, each one of us, take a minute to say a silent prayer for his immortal soul.
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Ed Griner posted a condolence
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I was a student of his in the 1960 and had a great time with him,really sorry to hear of him passing. EG
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Dolores Middleton Morris posted a condolence
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Mrs. McQuillan, Karin, and Philip: My thoughts and prayers are with at this very time.
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Shell posted a condolence
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Met him a few times in my life and he always impressed me with his wit and charm. He truly was one of a kind. He will be sorely missed.
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David and Cathy Neder posted a condolence
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
We are sorry to hear of Mr.McQuillans' passing. I was a student in his class in 1969. He was a wounderful teacher.