Richard Leroy Philbrick

Richard (Dick) Leroy Philbrick, 93, of Altamonte Springs, Florida, passed away on July 27, 2026. He had been living independently in Florida since the passing of his wife Eloise in 2020.

Richard was born January 8, 1933 to Michael Harvey and Hazel Wilhelmina in LaCombe, Alberta Canada. At 13 he left home for boarding school at Oshawa Missionary College where he graduated from high school. After graduation he went to Washington Missionary college in Takoma Park, Maryland where he graduated with a degree in business. During college he met and married is wife of 67 years, Eloise (Wismer) Philbrick.

They had their first son, James, before graduating and moving to Eloise’s hometown, Preston, Ontario. While living in Preston, Richard and Eloise were blessed with two more sons Thomas and Christopher. Their last child, Elisabeth, was born 12 years after the last of the boys while the family was living in Maryland.

Richard worked with the book wholesaler Jean Karr Co. in Washington D.C. for many years. He concluded his career working for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in their shipping department. He always enjoyed looking at maps and geography and knew very well the exact location of any place he shipped to.

Richard loved to spend time in the outdoors with his family, hiking Old Rag Mountain in the Shenandoah’s more times than we can count. Growing up in Canada he loved the winter sports, hockey and skiing were his favorites. In the Summer he loved to play golf with friends and go on hikes. There was a lot of time spent with extended family which included his in-laws, Eloise’s sister and her family. Many vacations were spent with the Beavon’s (Evelyn, Everyl, Fred, Don, &Trudy) who lived close by. The two families were inseparable, going to school together, sitting in the same pew at church and taking vacations together.

Richard had spent some time as a carpenter, so he was always willing to assist neighbors, friends and family with projects. He loved maintaining and improving his house and kept a productive vegetable garden for many years. He loved to travel to foreign countries and wasn’t afraid to rent a car and drive he and Eloise wherever they wanted to explore. There were also several road trips, driving cross country three times. They took many cruises as well exploring so many foreign ports with friends and sometimes just the two of them. In Richard’s later years he developed a passion for the girls of Small Steps for Compassion, a girls home in Tanzania Africa. He was planning his third trip to visit them before he passed.

Richard Loved with his ACTIONS and was ALWAYS ready to help anyone in need! He will be greatly missed by All who knew him.

Richard is survived by his 4 children and their spouses: Jim & Kathy Philbrick, Tom & Ruth Philbrick, Chris & Sharon Philbrick and Doug and Elisabeth Spinella. He also had 8 grandchildren with their spouses: Todd & Becky Philbrick, Jason Philbrick, Kristin Philbrick, Megan Philbrick, Alexandra Philbrick, Scott Philbrick, Christian & Rachel Spinella, and Elivia & Madison Noble. He also had 5 great-grandchildren James & Logan Lumsden, Riley & Franklin Philbrick and Luciano Noble. He was preceded in death by his sister Lorraine Lane and wife Eloise Philbrick.

The family requests that in Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to www.smallstepsforcompassion.org