Philip Margolis Obituary

Every few months I would call Phil from Az. It was a rare treat when he answered! The conversation never varied much, but it was peaceful to touch base and know he was ok. Then the number was out of service. I just heard back from a mutual friend that Phil passed away. I did not know him well or long, but am glad that I did.

I am so sorry to hear that my friend, Phil passed away. I often called and left a voicemail. Recently it said the number was out of service. Thinking ogbyou and of Phil.

Susan Carl Amanda and Kara

The girls and I were talking about your dad the other day and how one of the great memories we had were of how him and your mom would come to the house on Briar Lane with the coffee cakes and goodies from Entenmanns bakery . They always shared and treated the kids like they were part of the family. May all the good memories ease some of your sadness.

The Simoncelli's

The other night my wife and I watched a movie on TV. It was called The Green Book'. It won the Academy Award for the Best Picture of the year. But I will come back to that shortly.

Maybe 12 years ago our little daily coffee shop group had the karma, the good fortune, or just old fashioned, plain good luck to meet Phil Margolis. He would walk in, before he had a cane, before he had a walker, and often even before the sun rose, to order just a small coffee and a bear claw. And then he would try to tip the cashier. The Panera company policy was to not tip the cashier, and that angered Phil, because Phil had an oversized heart. And a special love for the working person. He argued with the manager, gave that manager a piece of his mind, and what do you know but the company manager put out a tip box on the counter because of him.

Phil sat quietly 7 days a week in his spot with his nosh [Isn't that what they call a snack in Yiddish?] He sat on the vinyl upholstered bench of Panera Bread, until he joined our little group, which was called the ROMEOS. And that stood of course for Retired Old Men Eating Out'. As the daily mornings went on, I overcame my extreme shyness and discovered that this kindly quiet man had lost his wife, Claire, had worked for the city of Chicago, and lived on the very top floor of the Landings building in room 507

For those of us who have NOT been up to his neatly kept room in 507, the most impressive feature to me, was the inside of his refrigerator, which held exactly one slice of American cheese and one jar of frozen peanut butter. Doesn't that just make your mouth water to think about it And Phil was happy with that.

Phil and I often took walks in the Forest Preserve, and at the park, and at the gym, and at the Glen, and we spoke of old time music and movies of the forties which we both loved. We would joke as we walked outdoors that we were very afraid of the ladybugs, and butterflies and the baby deer that we encountered on the forest path, certain that they would attack us or carry us off. We got a million laughs out of that every time.

Phil was an uncommonly kind person. Sometimes a very, very rare phenomenon is described as a unicorn', meaning a one of a kind spirit. Phil was a unicorn. He never bragged, never made anybody feel small. He drove to join us ROMEOs in his little black car for coffee through thick and thin, through storms and ice, and rain and blizzards. Yesterday a cashier at Panera asked for info on Phil's funeral arrangements, so that she could post it up on the wall for the staff, because everyone at the diner knew him and loved him.

There is so much I could write about our dear friend: our banter about the Jews and the goyim, his many apartment addresses on Leland, his lovely family, even his memories of regularly painting his living room with a small paint brush all by himself. Let me summarize by saying that I love the man. And you all do, too.

I mentioned a moment ago that my wife and I had watched the prize winning movie, The Green Book', and afterward I thought, I have to tell Phil about this movie.' Then of course a moment later I realized that he had passed. I told my wife how sad I was not to be able to tell Phil about it.

She replied to me in a soft voice
You still can still tell him.'

My sincere condolences to your family for the loss of your love one. May the God of comfort be with you during this sad occasion and may his loving words at John 6:40 console your heart.