Phil Gullion, 73, passed away at home on May 22, 2022, after a long period of health challenges, with his family around him.
Phil was born in Washington, DC on September 10, 1948, to Doris Guthrie Gullion and Phillip B.P. Gullion, Sr. A child of a State Department family, he grew up in Europe and Asia, attending American schools, sometimes by correspondence. Phil graduated from high school in El Paso, Texas and attended the University of Kentucky. While attending UK, Phil married Vickie Goff and had a son, Phillip. During the war in Viet Nam, Phil was a conscientious objector and completed his alternative service at what is now Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital. Later, he graduated from Johnson State College (VT) and attended graduate school at Syracuse University.
In the late 1970s, Phil moved permanently to Vermont. He married Sally Follett in Burlington in 1983, and they had two children, Sarah and Steve. They lived in Bristol, Vergennes, and finally, Colchester.
Phil had many occupations. He was a musician, carpenter, teacher, IT specialist, cook, librarian, lifeguard and swim instructor, residential advisor, psychiatric aide, and journalist. He dove deeply into his hobbies: fly fishing and fly tying, swimming, sailing, and SCUBA, fiddle, guitar, and accordion playing, boat and home repair, acting. He was an avid reader, poet, and singer/songwriter. In his 40s, he learned to downhill and XC ski. As his health began to decline, Phil retired from Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (IT) and Middlebury College (library).
Phil is survived by his wife Sally, of Colchester, son Phillip J Gullion (Li-Ann Kuan), of Norfolk, VA, daughter Sarah Gullion of Sterling, MA, and son Stephen Gullion, of Newburyport, MA, and two granddaughters, Kaitlyn and Meghan Barrett-Gullion. He is also survived by his brother Guthrie Gullion and sister Samm Reardon. He was predeceased by his parents and sister, Ruth Winfrey.
Phil was a member of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington. In Phil’s honor, please consider taking a boat ride or learning a new skill or sport. Or make a donation to FUUSB or the Chittenden County Humane Society. A celebration of Phil’s life will be held at the convenience of the family.
Published by LaVigne Funeral Home on May 31, 2022.
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