Phillip Cruzan

Phillip Terrant Cruzan, known lovingly by friends and family as Terry, passed into the arms of his Savior on January 17th, 2023 at Brookdale Beckett Meadows in Austin Texas, after suffering a stroke and having lived with Vascular Dementia for 10 years. Phillip was surrounded by his family as he took his last breath on earth and passed into life eternal. We can only imagine the beauty he beheld as he gazed upon heaven for the first time and was greeted by those he cherished who had gone before him – most especially his son Keith, whom he longed for every day. Phil was born in Miami, Oklahoma on May 17, 1943, and raised lovingly by his parents Beverly Dodson and Leonard Cruzan. He was an enterprising little boy who enjoyed working in his family’s garden, picking apples and selling rabbits door to door to neighbors, and later attended Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremont. He was a talented young man who practiced dance, and he had a beautiful tenor voice that would carry him throughout his years into rock bands and church choirs. He maintained his voice and was never shy to serenade his family with songs about typical everyday occurrences, his favorites being “A Bushel and a Peck” and “Butter Beans”. Phillip was also a wonderful cook and was fast to put out a spread of boiled shrimp, oysters and fried catfish. He was a proud Navy Man and was a member of the Naval Choir. He regaled everyone that would listen with tales of his time in the Navy serving his country and seeing the world. A strong sense of Patriotism stayed with him until the very end. He believed that our freedom as Americans was won through the courage, blood and tears of his Brothers and Sisters in Arms. After serving in the Navy, Phillip earned his Master’s Degree in Engineering at the University of Houston. He worked for many engineering companies in the Houston area as a petrochemical and electrical engineer. His work would take him to the far corners of the earth, including stints in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Algeria, Spain and all over the US. He also worked as a nuclear power engineer. Second to his love of family, Phillip was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved spending time in Port Lavaca with his son Keith, duck and deer hunting and fishing in the bay. His ultimate playground was being on the water or in a hunting blind. He made sure that the freezer was always full of venison and catfish or anything that walked, crawled or swam. We are sure that Phil has found a fishing boat in heaven and is already preparing a big fish fry for Jesus. Family was the most important thing to Phillip. He was a devoted husband to his wife Gwen, and loving father to his son Keith and daughter Misty, unfailingly generous with his time and affection. Misty’s family was blessed to have her Dad and Mom move onto their property in 2015, knowing that it was a rare opportunity not only to care for each other but to truly become part of the fabric of each other’s lives. With those he loved most close at hand, Dad basked in the joy of daily coffee time, meals, and family antics. He savored time with his grandson Ian and loved the opportunity to share stories from his own childhood with him. He found companionship and understanding with his son-in-law Eric, ever patient to share the wisdom that his long life had afforded him. He loved the view from his chair into the trees behind his house, where he could watch his little dog Macey play, see deer nearly every day and bird watch, never failing to know the names of each one. He leaves behind a multitude of family and friends who will keep his spirit of kindness and generosity alive. His wife Gwendolyn Cruzan, his daughter Misty Carreiro and her husband Eric, his grandson Ian, his sister Teresa Sutton, and his nieces Kenna, Ginger and Jessica. He leaves behind a legacy of love, devotion, and friendship. We trust in the promise that Jesus conveys to us in John 11:25-27: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live”. We firmly believe that Phillip Terrant Cruzan is now truly alive, young, healthy, and aglow with the light of the Holy Spirit, enjoying the banquet table at the feast of the Lord. A funeral Mass will be held for Phillip at Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Austin, Texas on February the 17th at 10:00am. A reception is to follow the Mass in the church hall.

Phillip Cruzan

May 17, 1943 - January 17, 2023