Miss You Uncle Phil!

Earth is not the same without your smile, humor, naughtiness, and love. Your one of a kind. spirit lives on. Miss you so much. Every time I see a cat, I smile thinking of you. That’s every day. Take care of them all until we meet again.

Feeling your light as your time of year is coming up. Miss you and think of you every day with a smile and laughter. Sometimes that turns to tears. But can finally remember the laughter. I miss you my Phil. The world is not the same without your bright and magical light. Will be so glad to see you again.

If you need a visit with Phil... watch the movie Danny Collins with Al Pacino. The character IS Phil. Makes me laugh and cry every time I watch it. We saw it when Phil was still with us. He loved that Pacino was being compared with Him. What other ones he wanted to know- Dog Day Afternoon? Serpico? The Godfather? I said ok looks.. but the character- 100% Danny Collins. Funny, loveable, adorable. God I miss him so much. Feels like a visit with him watching this movie...❤️ Love you so much Phil-always.

Miss you like it was yesterday. Wish it was so I could see you smiling again. If I close my eyes- I do. It’s not the same anywhere without you Phil. Not as fun, not as safe and not as sure. I wonder what you would say about everything. I miss your voice and love.

Love You Uncle Phil! I often think of you when I play with our feline friends. Bless Your Soul. Please Bless My Soul. 

Miss you my Phil. Every day. We feel you around us and know you’re laughing and smiling and free. ❤️

Thinking of you Phillipe and missing the sound of your laughter and love.

Remembering Phil today and his wonderful gift of making you feel seen and heard. And that being yourself was the best thing to be.

As I watch our cat, named for him, ripping up a pillow I just bought- I said: That’s Phil! I laugh thinking of the stuff Phil would accidentally destroy, stain, mess up and my heart melts, thinking of him. The things ripped up in our car interior suddenly become a cherished touch stone. Cherished because “stuff “ didn’t matter to Phil. He reminds me even now that “things” don’t matter. Time and Love is what matters. Right here and now. The moments we spent constantly pop into my head- and all the funny, outrageous and loving things come back too.

Our Christmas/cemetery/lunch visit is coming up- and this will be the first year we are coming back to do the official visit with you there, standing on the Other Side. How I wish I could see you sassy and leaning on a tombstone and laughing -making us laugh at the cemetery. Then going to lunch, you flirting with all the waitresses and working the room. You in your beret with your dancing eyes and naughty smile. I miss you so much my Phil. I love you so much. This earth is not the same without you my dear Philly Boy. Let us know you are there when we visit. And know we are forever with you.

Miss you so much Philly Boy. I love you, I love you, I love you.

Miss you today and every day Phil. To see your smile and hold your hand again...

Hard to believe I haven't heard your voice in a year. Miss you Godfather.

You visited again. You reminded me that turning around, saying You’re Welcome ... wasn’t just the phone call you got me to make. It was everything. You are the family I hoped to find. You gave me that. That love will live in my heart forever. You used to say -you don’t know how lucky you are to find love at this age. That included your love Phil. I love you Phil.

Love You Uncle Phil! Feeling your smile and wisdom today. It is always present and is always a gift. So glad to Be your nephew in this life. Happy Birth Day! :-)

I miss you so much Phil every day, and especially today. Earth is not the same without you. Heaven is having a party for sure. I love you beautiful soul.

You would have been 80 today Godfather, you probably would have called it the "BIG 8" or something like that. all of us or most of us would have seen you at some point over the weekend and we would've talked about how cold it was and you would have told us stories about colder birthdays and we would have laughed and enjoyed ourselves. Oh how I wish it could've been. Always missing you. More today though than other days.

Thinking of you and lighting a candle in your honor here on the Winter Solstice Uncle Phil. Love & Light.

Rest in Peace Godfather. You are with your mom and dad now. You will always be missed and you will never be forgotten.

All the chapters of Phil’s life - so filled with love.

I only had Phil in my life for the past 9 years. That’s longer than almost anything has lasted in my life. Somehow he knew that. And from the start without asking a lot of questions he filled the void. With laughter, with love and with a whole lot of just being there. The time we spent together - Saturday lunches; swapping bags full of books; hanging out at cemeteries; helping him escape hospitals; writing to each other about history or art; or sending music to each other - he made me feel not so alone in this world.

When the time came that we drove to see him - I’d wait for him to come out - to see his mischievous grin. And that hug -was the magic moment of the day. Then, the stories would begin. He could paint a picture. Phillipe as he called himself, when we were out with a glass of wine, visiting his latest restaurant look up and flirting with the waitress, was a hoot. He made everyone in the restaurant feel good and himself too. He REALLY did LOVE life. And ladies. And cats. He made people feel special. The world shined brighter while he was in it. Brooklyn had a bright light with Phil dancing in it.

He stood up for Frank and I at our “real” wedding - as he called it- at Brooklyn City Hall. I almost married him when I mixed up the names on the papers and put him as the groom. I’ll never forget the after party- just the three of us. Him sitting beside me holding my hand and drinking champagne. And when I asked him to walk me down the aisle, later, at the “fake” wedding in Pennsylvania as he called it, we got him a limo so he didn’t have to be parted with the cats for too long. Cause he was worried about that. And the truth is - he did ME the honor that day.

I’ll never forget how you made me feel Phil. And isn’t that the measure of any life? - the love we gave, the love we leave behind. Phil left a lot of love behind.
His last words to Frank and I were- “this is it”. And he sounded like he was scared but also excited - like he was going on a big trip.

Peace Phil... and now, FINALLY-The ULTIMATE freedom for You, the most fiercely independent man I’ve ever had the absolute THRILL of knowing. I am so lucky to have had you in my life. Thank you for sharing of yourself and for your one of a kind love. THAT will never leave us. We love you Phil- for always and forever.

And to the friends- Lucille, Moose, Guy and Cousins Angela, Frances and all of Phil’s family and friends - He REALLY loved you. Your love made his life SPECIAL. He never stopped telling us.

And to Stacey, Teri, Kayla, Antoinetta and Andrew and all of the colleagues and friends of yours at the hospital: THANK YOU for what you did for him in those last weeks of life -**especially***... to make his passing full of compassion and love... on all of our behalf. Thank you so much. We love you.

Lisa

Being the only girl in a sea of boy cousins Philip was the closest to me in age being 6 months apart and the only one who hung out with me. We would sit in Aunt Nancy’s backyard and talk. We were quite young when we decided to get married. That’s when we were separated. Grandma died and was buried on my 16th birthday. The days were filled with sadness and no one knew it was my birthday except Philip. He bought me a cupcake with a candle and sang happy birthday. We grew up and grew apart. Last time I saw him he remembered our talks and discovered we both liked history. I will always have my sweet memories of our young days together. Farewell and Rest In Peace sweet Cousin Philip.

Phil-

I loved you from the minute I met you. Such a dear, sweet, funny, loving man, who loved cats. You were one of a kind - The Greatest!

I’ll always remember you with a smile in my heart!

Your Little Buddy Lesley

From: Lesley Statham

         Philip Anthony Aversano
       March 8, 1941 - April 22, 2020

Our hearts are heavy and our souls are saddened. Our family has lost its minister of peace, joy and love. Uncle Phil, our very own Peter Pan, lost a hard fought battle with this dreaded disease. He’s left behind many wonderful moments, memories and more importantly a legacy to live to your own drum beat. Uncle Phil lived his life his way. His courage and heart always guided his path and he did so with no second thoughts and certainly no regrets.

We will miss him. We will cherish his memory and we will honor his life.

God bless you Uncle. We know you’re enjoying being reunited with Grandma Mary, Grandpa Louis, Uncle Louis and Dad.

We imagine you’re having a meal together. Feasting on either Silver Star ravioli or lasagna will tiny meatballs. Whichever it is, we know that you’ll love being together again….you’ll eat, you’ll talk, you’ll laugh and you’ll probably argue a bit...maybe you’ll even listen to the last race at Aqueduct or play a game of penny poker. Regardless, you’ll all be at the same table and what a sight that will be. That warm, sweet, strong minded, loving family of five that launched our families and gave us everything we ever needed.

Rest easy Uncle Phil. Keep following your heart as you now watch over all of ours.

All my respect. All my love.

Your nephew, 

Louis Vincent Aversano

I am sharing just a small memory from a cousin. At family weddings, when I didn't have a date, I felt a bit like an odd duck. Philip was the cousin who danced with me and made me laugh. Perhaps that captures a bit of who he was. I haven't seen him in years, but I have this sweet memory. Rest in peace Cousin Phil.

Cat Man, Ladies’ Man, Pony Man. Comforter of Lost Women and Cats; Maker of laughter and love. Storyteller Extraordinaire. Seller of flowers and feathers. Lover of Life. Sensitive, outrageous, beautiful Soul. FOREVER in my heart.

Cousin Philip you will be forever loved & missed by so many and your Connecticut Cousins are no exception. You and your brothers gave our Mom, Aunt Carmela, some of the best days of her life spending time with you & taking you places when you were growing up, especially those Brooklyn Dodger games. She shared so many great stories with us. I know you will once again be bringing her love, joy & laughter in heaven together. We love you Cousin Philly
Love, Joe, Ginger, Linda, Rose & Lil Mary Interligi

Love what you shared Rose. Touched my heart sis. ❤️

My "Crazy 8".. you will FOREVER be part of me...
You left us unexpectedly...

Although I did tell you "I LOVED YOU" a million times, I was hoping to get to tell you a million more....

I hope that you are happy now, where ever you are, and I'll hold you in my heart no matter how far...

To the heavens above, I wish I could fly, just so I could give you one last hug and kiss and say Good-Bye...

♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾ ♾

Love You Uncle Phil. Now and always. ✨❤️✨