Kenneth M. Philbrook
...USPS Letter-carrier, Tewksbury School Dept., WW II Navy; 80
TEWKSBURY - Kenneth M. Philbrook, age 80, a retired letter carrier and school custodian in
Tewksbury, died Thursday morning, March 1, at the E.N. Rogers Veterans Administration
Hospital in Bedford, after a lengthy illness. He was the beloved husband of Sandra C. (Veniere)
Philbrook, with whom he had celebrated a 51st wedding anniversary this past July 17th.
He was born in South Boston, on December 4, 1926, one of six children of Claude and Lillian
(Scholfield) Philbrook. He was raised in “Southie” and lived in Everett before coming to
Tewksbury 43 years ago.
He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII, aboard the U.S.S. Sheldrake, as a stationary fireman.
His tour of duty was in the Asiatic-Pacific war theaters.
Upon honorable discharge from the Navy, he became a letter carrier in Cambridge for the U.S.
Postal Service. Upon his retirement from the USPS, he took a job as a custodian at the North
Street School in Tewksbury public school’s maintenance department. Mr. Philbrook worked for
the school department for more than 12 years.
As he raised his family in town, he was active in youth sports, and served as a Little League
coach. He was a communicant of St. William’s Church, and also held membership in the Veterans
of Foreign wars Post 8164 in Tewksbury.
He was fondly remembered by his family as having held a life long hobby of gardening both
vegetables and flowers in his yard.
Besides his wife, he is survived by three children and their spouses, Thomas Philbrook and Mary
White of Rockport, Donna M. Sutton and her husband Richard of Brewster, Cape Cod, and Lisa
M. Dempsey and her husband Dana of Billerica; six beloved grandchildren, Mary Sutton, Lee
Sann Sutton and Richard Sutton all of Brewster, Kenneth, Robert and Ethan Dempsey all of
Billerica; a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Marie and Edward Giggie of NY; and many nieces
and nephews.
He was also brother of the late Clayton, Allan, and Claude Philbrook Jr., Lillian Wheelock, and
Mary Thoma.
His Funeral Mass was celebrated Tuesday, March 6, in St. William’s Church,
Tewksbury. Burial with Navy honors was at Tewksbury
Cemetery. Memorials to the
Alzheimer’s Association, 31 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 will be appreciated.