WEBSTER - With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Philip G. Alston, Jr. on May 4th at his lakeside home in Webster, MA. Phil was born in Bronxville, NY in 1953, the second of four children of Philip G. Alston, Sr. and Jane “Dede” Durfee Alston. He spent his pre-Nichols College years in NY and Lovell, ME on Kezar Lake. Phil switched allegiances to the Bay State due to meeting the love of his life, Marilyn Gevry, when participating on different collegiate swim teams gave rise to their introduction.
Phil’s Nichols College BSBA degree led to 30 years at State Mutual / Allmerica Financial in Worcester MA, progressing from auditor to Assistant VP of Financial Management. Upon early retirement in 2006, he traded his business suit for a pair of sneakers and shorts and began a second career as a certified USPTA tennis teaching professional. Phil delighted in instructing toddlers through elders at a variety of indoor and outdoor tennis venues and especially enjoyed coaching the Bartlett Boys and the Shepherd Hill Girls Tennis Teams. Of course, in his earlier years, Phil could be seen at the tennis courts with his own sons, and more recently with his grandson, as tennis commenced in their preschool years, repeating Phil’s own childhood experience.
Phil cherished his time as husband, father, grandfather, son-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law and uncle, as well as time gathering with his entire NY family who migrated to VA. Indeed, family and friends both far and near were paramount. Free time found him learning carpentry skills, remodeling his home, kayaking, fishing, boating, distance swimming, snow skiing, snowshoeing, National Park trekking, traveling to the Rockies and the Alps, kayaking with beluga whales, tracking Hudson Bay polar bears and Pacific rainforest grizzlies, snorkeling among coral reefs, attending sporting events with his sons, and cheering on his grandson’s athletic efforts. Phil volunteered as a Little League Coach, a Tri-Valley Inc money manager for senior citizens, and served as a lector, Parish Council Representative, and Finance Committee Member at St Anthony’s Church in Dudley.
Phil is survived by his wife of 50 years, Marilyn Gevry Alston; son Barrett and wife Jessica of Manchester-by-the-Sea; son Tyler, wife Devon and grandson, Wesley of Oxford; sister Cynthia Alston Davis and husband Gary Mangus; brother William Alston; brother Jeffrey Alston and wife Shannon, all of VA; many nieces and nephews, cousins, in-laws and dear friends both near and far.
Calling hours will be at the Scanlon Funeral Service, 38 East Main Street, on Friday, May 15th, from 4:00-6:00 PM. A celebration of life memorial service will be held at St. Anthony’s Church, 24 Dudley-Hill Road, Dudley on Saturday, May 16th, at 10:00 AM followed by a reception at Point Breeze Restaurant, 114 Point Breeze Road in Webster. Private burial services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Phil’s memory may be mailed to Dana-Farber Neuro-Oncology Dept for Adult Glioblastoma Brain Tumors at: P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 Attn: Dana-Farber Neuro-Oncology Dept for Adult Glioblastoma Brain Tumors or online at dana-farber.org/gift – once at this page, choose to direct your gift to “Family Chosen Area In Honor Or Memory” and write “Neuro-Oncology Dept for Adult Glioblastoma Brain Tumors” in the “Tell Us Why You Give To Dana Farber” section.