OBITUARY Phil Hart September 21, 1923 – November 8, 2018 Phillip William Hart (1923-2018) Phillip William Hart, 95, the last pound fisherman from Beach Haven Fishery, passed away at his Manahawkin home on November 8th. He was predeceased by Ruth, his wife of 72 years. He is survived by three sons and their spouses, James and Terry; Paul and Eleanor; Timothy and Lorraine; and daughter Phyllis and Grant Buford; eight grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Joan Hart and Lois Hart; and several cousins and many nieces and nephews.
He is also survived by Bumi, his cat and constant companion. His maternal great-grandparents came to Beach Haven in the 1870’s. In 1942, Phil graduated from Barnegat High School and was one of the only students to list his life goal in the yearbook as what he became — an electrician.
He enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in 1942 where he met Ruth, his future wife, who had enlisted in the United States Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS). After living briefly in California, Wisconsin and Beach Haven, Phil and Ruth settled in Manahawkin in 1950 where they established and ran Phil Hart Electrical Contractor for 64 years. They enjoyed a reputation of integrity, fairness and quality workmanship.
He mentored many young people in the electrical business some of whom began their own businesses. Phil and Ruth became deeply involved in the Stafford Township community by forming the first organized cub scouts and youth baseball league and Phil was one of the men to clear the baseball field at Jennings Road. In 1955, the Stafford Township Lions Club awarded Phil and Ruth the Outstanding Citizenship Award.
They were selected Grand Marshals of the Stafford Township Founders’ Day parade in 1995; and he and his family were Grand Marshals in 2014. Phil and Ruth quietly and unassumingly helped others and were very generous to those in need and various churches, synagogues and non-profits. Phil served on the Stafford Township Board of Education and the committee that formed Southern Regional High School.
He was president of the Southern Regional Board of Education in 1963 and 1964. The Beach Haven Times ran an editorial praising his fair leadership. He was a long time member of the Southern Ocean County Rotary, the Stafford Township Lions Club, Knights of Columbus, and the Municipal Utilities Authority.
He also served on the Stafford Township First Aid Squad and the Stafford Township Zoning Board. Phil was an active member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church including times as an Eucharistic adorer at the chapel with his sister Sophie. In 1995, Phil was awarded the Hurley Conklin Award at the Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show for his time as a commercial fisherman in Beach Haven.
He treasured his time growing up in Beach Haven where he worked in his family lobster business. But his greatest love was retelling stories about his youth in Beach Haven. He was very proud of this time with the Beach Haven Fishery.
Phil’s final days exemplified the words of the poem by Dylan Thomas: Do not go gentle into that good night/Old age should burn and rave at the close of day. Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 13th, from 10 am to 11am in the vestibule at St. Mary’s of the Pines, 100 Bishop Lane in Manahawkin followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am. Interment will immediately follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Cedar Run.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Tuckerton Seaport, Box 52, Tuckerton, NJ 08087 of the Stafford Township Historical Society, Box 1097, Manahawkin, NJ 08050, Condolences may be sent to www. shinnfuneralhome.com.
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