September 12, 1943 - September 15, 2025
Stephen Goddard "Steve" Phillips, 82, of Elm Street, Essex, NY, died unexpectedly Monday, September 15, 2025, at his home, with his loving wife by his side.
He was born in Burlington, Vermont, September 12, 1943, the son of Edward Steward and Madelon Frances (Glaser) Phillips.
Steve graduated from Burlington High School, Class of 1961. He went on to pursue a degree in engineering from UVM, but midway through his junior year his ambition to build became uncontainable and he left college to begin forming the foundations of his company, S.G. Phillips, Co.
What began as “grunt” work, clearing and grubbing for the Vermont Interstate System and working in sewer lines, quickly grew into being named a Top 100 Contractor in the U.S. From Maine to Florida, his company built municipal wastewater facilities, buildings for IBM and Hannaford, ski resorts in Sugarbush and Ascutney, and transformed Church Street in Burlington in the 1980s, laying every brick you walk on today. His company was only successful by the hard work and determination of his employees, all 700-plus at its peak. Steve had a rare skill of surrounding himself with smarter people whose appetite for construction was equal to his. He had profound love and respect for his construction family.
Steve had another family he was building concurrently. He and his first wife, Pamela (Gerhard), bought and began fixing up an old farmhouse in Waitsfield, VT, that welcomed his first two sons. Shortly after their marriage ended, he met and married his second wife, Judith (Osler) and welcomed two more sons. Their home became quite literally the command center, complete with a landing strip, where his children were raised with an abundance of love, excitement, and opportunity.
After a complicated back surgery in the 1990s, Steve’s life shifted direction and he left The Valley, closed up his company and headed to the shores of Lake Champlain.
In 2002, providence came in the form of a question, would you like to go for a boat ride? Steve asked Emily, unaware at the time that she would go on to become his wife, caregiver and most importantly his soulmate. They married in June of 2006 and built a loving life together with their dogs and cats in Essex, NY.
Steve was a husband, a father, a Flippy, an uncle and a dear friend to many. He lived an incredibly full and captivating life, leaving nothing on the table. He had a deep passion and desire to push the limits which he did through skiing, hunting, racing cars and on the waters of Lake Champlain. He found his peace and love on his Diamond Island.
Stephen is survived by his wife, Emily (Gardner) Phillips, his sons, Briggs Phillips and his wife Amanda of Charlotte, VT, Harper Phillips of Stowe, VT, Christopher (Botsy) Phillips and his wife Olivia of Boulder, CO, Whitney Phillips and his wife Jesse of Warren, VT, and his daughter Dawn Tebbetts of New Haven, CT and by his grandchildren Crawford, Questwell, Cowen, Waverly and Walker Phillips. He also leaves behind his cousin Candy Davidson, his in-laws, Alan Gardner and his wife Tina and Nancy Belzile and his very special dog Sibley Diamond.
He was predeceased by his parents and brothers Thomas and Richard Phillips.
A funeral will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Essex, NY on Friday, September 26, at 11 a.m. A reception will follow for family and friends to warmly share memories of Steve.
In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations be made in Steve’s memory to support students attending CV-TEC, particularly in the Construction Trades to Champlain Valley Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 4, Westport, NY 12993.
Steve loved small, generous acts – consider taking in a stray cat, helping a stranger and most importantly, tell the person you love the most everyday just how much you love them. Every day is a gift.
