Obituary of Phillip Stanley Barbour

Phillip Stanley Barbour, beloved husband to Maria, father to David, Aisha and Jordan, and grandfather to Tyler, Dylan and David, passed away peacefully on August 28, 2024, at the age of 76. The eldest son of Hursel and Virginia (Hasty) Barbour, Phillip, was born on October 17, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York. He and his younger brother Jerry were raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York. In the summer of 1953, Phillip’s father, Hursel, took him on his first of many trips to Spotsylvania, Virginia, home to several generations of Barbours, and a place that often felt like a second home to Phillip. He spoke lovingly of the many summers he spent in Spotsylvania with his uncles, aunts and cousins. He loved sharing stories about visiting the old family home, which had no plumbing or electricity, running around and playing with his cousins in the country, and eating Aunt Edie’s amazing cooking. Phillip graduated from John Adams High School in 1964, and went on to study psychology at Hofstra University, graduating in 1970. While in college, Phillip was an active member of the ROTC and was a member of the Pershing Rifles fraternity. Following college, Phillip enlisted in the US Army where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant and served in military intelligence. In 1968, Phillip met and fell in love with Maria O’Reilly, a beautiful, smart and confident teacher and former college basketball star who was born in Havana, Cuba and, like Phillip, raised in New York. Phillip and Maria married on September 25, 1971, and thereafter, settled in Willingboro, NJ where they raised their three children. They remained happily married for 53 years until his passing. Phillip had several careers throughout his adulthood. After leaving the military to raise his family, Phillip worked as a restaurant owner, insurance salesman, an instructor of various courses and disciplines, as well as the director, assistant director and general jack-of-all trades at Primary Colors Learning Center, a day care and early childhood education center he helped run with his wife in Willingboro. At Primary Colors, Phillip helped create and foster healthy and fun environments where young people could learn and thrive. He ran Camp Exploration, a summer program for younger teens and adolescents, designed to keep kids active, and encourage local exploration by going on daily trips to different attractions in Philadelphia, New Jersey and the surrounding area. An avid fisherman, in his later years he spearheaded the program Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs, a community-based initiative where he took young people from the neighborhood to local fishing spots, equipped them with rods, and taught them to fish. Phillip loved history and loved sharing the story of the Barbour family. He dutifully researched the Barbour family tree and traced his roots back to the early 1800s. He treasured every chance he would get to return to Spotsylvania to see family and show his children where their ancestors had lived and were buried. Phillip, also known as Big Phil, Uncle Phil, and Mr. Phil was a fun, silly, stubborn, hulk of a man, whose towering presence and boisterous laugh belied a quiet, gentle, and thoughtful soul. He loved tools and fixing things. He loved puzzles and problem-solving. He loved smooth jazz, salsa music, pretending to be Cuban while listening to salsa music, and the B-52, a dance he invented and loved to show off at parties. He was a Civil War buff, a birdwatcher, an avid fisherman, a movie buff, a reader, a scholar, an Eagles fan, and an army veteran who took great pride in the years he spent serving his country. Above all he was a devoted husband, a loving father, and an adoring grandfather (aka Pop-Pop) whose enthusiasm and love for his family knew no bounds. For those that knew him, he will be greatly missed. Predeceased by his beloved parents Hursel and Virginia Barbour, Phillip is survived by his wife of 53 years, Maria O’Reilly Barbour, his three children David, Aisha and Jordan Barbour, his grandchildren Tyler, Dylan and David Barbour, his brother, Gerald Barbour, and many close family and friends. A celebration of Phillip’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at May Funeral Home, located at 45 Pine Street, Willingboro NJ, 08046. Flowers can be sent to May Funeral Home on November 2. Cards can be sent to The Barbour Family at 36 Mecouch Drive, Glassboro, NJ 08028. Philip’s obituary can be viewed on the May Funeral Home website at mayfuneralhomes.com. The Barbour Family extends heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of love, support and condolences during this difficult time. Please join us in remembering and celebrating Phillip Barbour’s life. May his soul find eternal peace.