PHILIP T. CHURCH ’53
Philip Throop Church, 84, passed away on Friday, July 17, 2015. He lived in Fayetteville, NY for 49 years. He leaves behind his wife of 60 years, Patricia; children, Peter (Barbara) Church, Susan (Curt) Andersson, and Daniel (Sheri) Church; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Katharine Cutler and Elizabeth Cernan. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Robert Church.
Phil was born in Winchester, CT to Russell and Margaret (Throop) Church, and was raised on several chicken farms, including Keewaydin Farm in Darien, CT. He tended chickens for his father from a very early age.
He met Pat in high school in Middletown, CT when she invited him to a Sadie Hawkins dance; he was a junior and she was a freshman.
He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi from Wesleyan University in 1953 with B.A. in Mathematics. He received an M.A. in Mathematics from Harvard University in 1954, and a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1959.
He joined the faculty of Syracuse University in 1958. He was named the Francis H. Root Professor of Mathematics at Syracuse University in 1976. His research interests were singularity theory, global analysis, topology, and nonlinear elliptic differential equations. He published 51 research papers during his career. He was also a Danforth Fellow (1953-57); a member of the Institute for Defense Analyses in Princeton, NJ (1962-63); a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ (1962; 1965-66); an NSF Senior Postdoctoral Fellow (1965-66); a visiting fellow at Princeton University (Spring 1976); and a distinguished visiting professor at the University of Alberta (Fall 1986). He served on many committees during his 43 years at Syracuse University. He also served as an editor and on several committees for the American Mathematical Society over the years. He was named Scholar/Teacher of the Year at Syracuse University in 1989. In 2002 Syracuse University created the Philip T. Church Postdoctoral Fellow program.
Philip lived his life with integrity, always striving to do the right thing. He was a problem-solver and thinker and would work tirelessly to find the best solution, whether it was purchasing a car or writing a paper. He took his health seriously and worked hard to stay strong and vibrant. He was a true night owl; he did his best thinking in the weehours walking around the neighborhood or sitting at the kitchen table. He loved opera, musicals, and classic movies. He was a unique and wonderful man. His values and presence will be remembered by everyone he touched throughout the years.
Family and friends may call from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at the Eaton-Tubbs Fayetteville Chapel, 7191 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville. A service will follow the calling hours.
Contributions: may be made to Syracuse University, Math Department, 900 S. Crouse Ave., Syracuse, NY 13244.
For a guest book, please visit: www.SCHEPPFAMILY.com.