The way to dusty death.  Out, out brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more.  It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

Philip Joseph Sanfilippo extinguished his candle on January 17, 2024, at the age of 61, ending his hour upon the stage.  Although analogous to the Macbeth soliloquy, his tale, however, is not of a Shakespearian idiot full of futility, but a noble tale of a revered man.

He was a man with a big heart, troubled soul, and curious mind.  Phil never met a stranger.  His empathy rivaled none, and his quick intellect enabled him to adapt to all walks of life. He truly believed 'everyone had a story' behind their veiled appearance and he was right.  In the end our story is what remains and here is his.

Born in Wayland, on May 24, 1962, Phil hailed from a combustive mix of an Irish mother and Italian father.  He was raised in Natick, MA, on the outskirts of Boston during a couple of interesting decades.  These challenging early years fueled his athletic and academic achievements, lead to an appointment at West Point and triggered a lifetime fascination with the facets of the human mind.  To better understand himself and the world around him, he obtained a psychology degree from Framingham State.  An education this renaissance man would find invaluable in the years to come.

Phil's adulthood began with a chance encounter, taking him to NYC and a job selling industrial roofing, riding corporate jets and taking full advantage of the excesses of the 80s.  Through sheer determination he evolved his career into the medical industry finding his way back to New England.  He began selling infusion pumps (on the cusp of the AIDS epidemic), and then advanced to Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology markets focused on prosthetic heart valves and gene and cell therapies.  Finally, winding down his career as a trusted strategy consultant.

Phil aptly called New Hampshire his home living free and unencumbered with his loving life partner Caroline.  Together they found joy in simplicity, cherished each other's quirks, and were ardent supporters of one another's ambitions.  Experiencing the beauty of New Hampshire Phil could be found walking the rail trails, the paths of Tuscan Village or the sidewalks in Derry.  Then visiting one of a dozen Dunks nearby for that famous iced coffee listening to true crime podcasts or talking with the regulars.

Success isn't always measured in career accomplishments or material gains, but rather in one's lasting character.  His most valued achievement was that of fatherhood to Alexa (Caleb) and Pa to Philip and Joseph.  Being a dad was an unscripted path but one he accepted unequivocally.  Phil and Alexa shared a bond in music, the spirit of which will live on through Alexa's artistry and through her boys.

Phil's life was filled with moments of brilliance and moments of complete chaos.  One calming constant was exercise.  Depending on the decade, he could be found competitively power lifting, body building or simply rehabbing his multitude of injuries. Phil chased the endorphin, not only for top conditioning but also to 'block superfluous noise' and crush depression.  To him movement was the cure and he never stopped moving until his final moment.

There is beauty in telling one's story and comfort in sharing their joy and sorrows, their faith, hope, and despair.  Although Phil approached life with awe-inspiring realness and tenacity, his last obstacle of chronic pain became too great. In the end he chose peace, setting himself free from earthly anguish.

His loving presence, beautiful smile, fiery blue eyes and kind soul will be missed beyond measure.

During his career Phil discovered the lifesaving value of donating blood with the American Red Cross. His blood type enabled him to help so many individuals and he had recently earned his 15-gallon donation pin.  As he was a true believer in Karma, please join us to celebrate Phil's life and carry on his mission of saving lives through blood donation.

A memorial blood drive will be held in his honor on Friday, May 10th from 12 to 5pm, at the Carrier Family Funeral Home, 38 Range Road, Windham, NH 03087.