Philip Richard Barbee's Obituary
Philip Richard Barbee, 75, of Honey Grove, Texas passed away on December 17, 2021 after a long illness. His final breath came as he wished, at his family’s historic homestead encircled by his loved ones.
Philip was born in Honey Grove, Texas on Christmas Eve 1945 to Philip Wayne and Mary Jo Barbee. He spent his youth in Garland, Texas and graduated from Garland High School. He then attended North Texas State University where he met the love of his life. Philip left NTSU to join the United States Army to serve his country with pride and honor. Upon his discharge, Philip returned to find the part of himself he left behind. He married Jill Drake in 1972 and remained by her side for 36 years until her death in October 2008.
Philip spent his professional life as an engineer in the Aerospace industry where he took part in the design, construction, and maintenance on everything from satellites to Air Force One. He truly loved the travel opportunities his work provided. From England to Germany, France, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, Philip enjoyed the food and languages of every culture he experienced and made many friends along the way.
Philip was always stepping up when needed. His daughter wanted to be a Girl Scout but there were no troop leaders. Philip became a Girl Scout troop leader. Later, the high school drill team needed props for their halftime shows and reviews. Philip built all the props for the high school drill team.
Despite his mechanical mind, Philip lived in the eye of history and found poetry in everything. He understood beauty and serenity, scanning the woods from a tree stand or positioned in the middle of a trout stream with the soft rhythm of his cast. Philip loved to experience life not simply to watch it go by. He often traveled to Civil War battlefields, British museums, and Neolithic Cairns. He loved walking along the White Cliffs of Dover, listening to Glenn Miller, looking to the sky with wonder as he imagined B-17s flying towards France on D-Day. He once said that one of his fondest memories was fly fishing with his son on a midsummer night in Loch Harray of the Orkney Islands. He sat in awe absorbing the orange fading light of a Scottish evening and as the sun began to slip beneath the North Sea a line from Norman MacLean was spoken: “all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories”. It was his perfect moment etched in the waters of time.
Philip is survived by his daughter Brandy Sanders (Jim) of Allen, TX, and his son Richard Brennan Barbee (Michelle) of Honey Grove. His grandchildren include Brittney Sanders and Braeden Sanders of Allen, TX and Evangeline Barbee of Honey Grove. Philip is preceded in death by his parents, Philip Wayne and Mary Jo Barbee, his wife, Jill Barbee, his sister Suzanne MacKenzie, and his brother Robert Barbee.
Philip Barbee was many things to many people. A son, a husband, a father, a grandfather, an uncle, a soldier, a poet, and a hero. He chose to live his life like Thoreau, “to live deliberately” to “learn what it had to teach” and “when I came to die, discover that I had not lived”. He lived and lived well.
A graveside memorial will be held at Restland Cemetery, Monday, January 3rd at 1:00PM. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Ducks Unlimited www.ducks.org
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