Philip 'Phil' B. Ancharski (1915 - 2007)

Sept. 29, 2007

Philip "Phil" B. Ancharski, 92, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grand-father, passed away Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.

Born in Hazleton in 1915, he was the son of the late Joseph and Mary Ancharski and was one of 19 children.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Rosemarie; brothers, Joseph Jr., Paul, Jimmy, Billy, Bobby and Thomas; and sisters, Anna, Helen and Leona.

Surviving are his loving wife of 65 years, Virginia; sons, Eddie and his wife, Irene; Michael and his wife, Carrie; Robert and his wife, Nancy; John; Thomas and his wife, Lynette; Paul and his wife, Dora; and Donald and his wife, Tracy; and daughter, Jeanette Erickson, and her husband, Richard. Also surviving are grandchildren, Tracy, Christina, Vanessa, Melissa, Tiffany, Matthew, Jason, Christopher, Rosemarie, Isabella, Grace, Alexandra, Emily, Kelley, Benjamin, Bianca and Andrew; and great-grandchildren, Dylan, Ryan, Desmond, Jalen, Delilah, Jasmine and Kylie. He is also survived by brothers and sisters, Richard, Violet, Louise, Peggy, Charlie, Joanne, Jackie, Buddy and Dolly.

Phil joined the Army after graduating from Hazleton High School in 1933. He transferred to the Air Corps prior to World War II and flew in B-17s during the war. He was stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base from 1946 to 1959 and retired as a senior master sergeant in 1964 after 30 year of service.

Returning to Tucson, Phil served as a police officer with the University of Arizona Police Department and again retired in 1977. He was a founding member of Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Tucson. Phil was a kind and generous man and will be greatly missed by those who knew him. His greatest joys in retirement were spending time with his family and friends and supporting the Arizona Wildcats.

The family would like to thank the staff at the TMC Hospice for their caring service.

Services will be held in Tucson. Bring's Broadway Chapel, Tucson, is in charge of the arrangements and can be reached at (529) 296-7193.

From: Hazleton Standard-Speaker, Oct. 3, 2007.