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Saturday Services Planned For Decorated Firefighter Who Served Bridgeport

WILTON, Conn. -- Funeral services will be held Saturday for a Wilton resident and longtime firefighter in Wilton, Westport and Bridgeport.

Phil Reeves

Phil Reeves

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Collins Funeral Home

Philip Walker Reeves, 57, died on Feb. 7 after a battle with cancer.  He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on July 15, 1959 to the late Courtney H. Reeves Jr. and Sarah S. Reeves. He was married to Robyn (Hapke) Reeves.

Services will be held on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew's Church at 36 New Canaan Road in Wilton. The ceremony will begin with a funeral procession departing from the Collins Funeral Home in Norwalk at 10:30 a.m. and arriving at St. Matthew’s Church, around 10:50 a.m. The procession will have a police escort provided by the Norwalk and Wilton Police Departments. 

Reeves moved to Wilton in 1962 and remained there for most of his life, attending Wilton Public Schools. As a member of the Wilton Volunteer Fire department, he found his lifelong passion, becoming a firefighter with the Westport Department in 1980, where he remained for six years, at which point he joined the United States Army, to earn his wings as an Army Aviator.

After completing his active obligation, which included a tour in the Republic of Korea, Phil transferred to the Massachusetts National Guard, where he remained until his death, achieving the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5 as the State Aviation Safety Officer. He served two tours in Iraq as a MEDEVAC helicopter pilot.

In 1994, Reeves joined the Bridgeport Fire Department, earning promotions to Pumper Engineer and Fire Lieutenant, retiring in 2016. Reeves served the Bridgeport Fire Department as Firefighter, Engineer, Training Officer, Safety Officer, and Battalion Chief’s Aide. He earned a Bachelor’s of Science in History and a Masters in Homeland Security and Disaster Management.

Besides his wife, Reeves is survived by his daughter Rebecca of Keene, N.H. and son Isaac of Wilton. He is survived by his mother Sarah, of Walpole, N.H., sister Leslie Kanerva of Springfield, Vt.; sister Cynthia and her partner Ray Ruseckas of Walpole, N.H.; and brother Ted, of Springfield, Vt.

Reeves was a life member of the VFW, the United States Army Warrant Officer Association, the National Guard Association of the United States and the Army Aviation Association of America. Phil was also a proud member of Bridgeport Firefighter’s Local 834.

The visitation will be held at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk, on Friday, Feb. 17 from 4 to 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Bridgeport Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the USO, or the veteran’s service organization of your choice.

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