Philip Eugene Robbins, 75, of Newport, Pennsylvania, passed away on June 11, 2026.
Born on August 10, 1950, in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Peter Eugene
“Gene” Robbins and Elinor L. Robbins. A graduate of Palisades High School, where he
served as class president and drum major, Phil developed an early and lasting love of
music and played both trumpet and saxophone. He later graduated from Temple
University and devoted his professional life to public service with the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, spending many years with what is now the Department of Community
and Economic Development. Over the course of a long career in community planning
and development, he helped cities, towns, and municipalities across the Commonwealth
plan thoughtfully for the future. After retiring, Phil continued to serve communities
through his involvement with the Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority
(“rabbittransit”) and through his work with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, an
organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Bay and its watershed.
Outside of his work, Phil’s greatest passion was sailing. Among fellow sailors, he was
affectionately known as “Barnacle Phil.” He spent countless treasured days on the
Chesapeake Bay aboard his boat, Schatzi, sharing the water with family and friends.
His time under sail took him through the Intracoastal Waterway, across the Caribbean
Sea, to Key West, and beyond. He also enjoyed nature, photography, and the simple
pleasure of a long drive.
Phil had a rare gift for connecting with people. Whether meeting local officials in a small
Pennsylvania town, sharing stories at a marina, or simply taking an interest in the
person beside him, he approached others with genuine warmth and respect. He found
people endlessly fascinating and made friends wherever he went. Most of all, he loved
his family deeply. As a husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, he was a
steady source of wisdom, encouragement, humor, generosity, and unwavering support.
Philip is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Charlene; his children, Chris and Peter;
Chris’s spouse, River; Peter’s wife, Mikaela; his grandchildren, Payce and Henry; his
brother, Bruce; and his sister, Kimberly Freed. He was preceded in death by his parents,
Peter Eugene “Gene” Robbins and Elinor L. Robbins, and his brother, Kevin Robbins.
His legacy lives on in the communities he helped shape, the friendships he cultivated,
the family he loved, and the waters he sailed. Fair winds and following seas, Phil.
A visitation, open to all, will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00
a.m. at the Church of the Nativity &; St. Stephen, 159 South Second Street, Newport,
Pennsylvania. A private memorial service for family and invited guests will begin at the
church at 11:00 a.m.