“Papa Phil” died peacefully, with family nearby, on July 22, 2022, at Elk Run ALF in Evergreen, CO. The family thanks all the wonderful staff at Elk Run and Mt Evans Hospice for their care and attention. It made all the difference.
Philip Louis Markham was born August 11, 1938, in Jacksonville, FL, the middle son of John Wesley “Papa John” Markham, Jr and Dorothy (Germain) “Betty” Markham. He grew up in Ponte Vedra Beach, next to the island 9th hole of the PVC Ocean Course. “P. Looie” was an Eagle Scout at 13 and went to Fletcher HS and Bishop Kenney HS before attending University of Florida where he was a football cheerleader and a Beta Theta Pi. After college, he joined the Army Reserve and also joined his father’s Markham Sales Agency as a furniture Manufacturers Rep, covering Fla and the Southeast. A job which he loved and thrived in, repping Bernhardt Furniture for the next 25 years. During this time, with wife Heather, he helped raise his 2 boys while living in Clearwater, Belleair, Indian Rocks Beach, Island Estates, and Safety Harbor.
In 1989, Phil decided to “go West,” following his Florida ex-patriot family. He joined his brother David/wife Peggy and nephew Dave Jr/wife Heather in the Evergreen area for “the beautiful scenery with no Fla humidity or mosquitoes!”
He worked in retail furniture for the next 15 years until retiring as “Papa Phil.” Skiing was never his thing, but he really enjoyed the majestic mountains, especially the “14ers” with peaks over 14K feet. So much so that his final wishes are for his ashes to be spread at the top of Mt Evans in Evergreen.
A voracious reader, lover of maps, inventor of recipes, and avid mailer/e-mailer, Papa Phil was always gregarious, quick to lend a hand, flash a smile, and crack a joke. In fact, he was once honored as “Hero of the Month” by the local Evergreen Fire Dept for saving the life of his neighbor down the hall, who had started a fire on his stove and passed out before Phil got there in time to pull him out to safety.
Phil was predeceased by his parents and his older brother John W. Markham, III (Sarasota). He is survived by younger brother David, Sr and Peggy (Moore) Markham of Seattle (formerly of Evergreen); Son Christopher von Brecht and Sarah Lynn (Meyer) Markham of Belleair, with step-grands William White and Lucie White; Son Peter Germain and Sandy (Reynolds) Markham of Darien, CT, with grands Emily “Mimi” Markham and Elizabeth “Libby” Markham; Niece Beth Markham of San Diego; Nephew David, Jr and Heather (Dion) Markham of Evergreen, with their twin sons Andrew and John W., IV; Niece Drew (Markham) Mashuda and Steve of Seattle, with their daughter Ansley and son Wade. He is also survived by the mother of Chris and Peter, Heather (Heuchan) Foderingham and their stepdad Deric of Clearwater. With Papa Phil, there was never a stranger, only a friend or acquaintance he hadn’t made yet. His warmth and big heart will be missed by all. In lieu of flowers, please donate at MtEvans.org
