Phil Lemar Hutchins

Phil Lemar Hutchins was born on February 7th, 1953 to the union of his parents Lorene and Earl Hutchins. He was raised in the heart of Milwaukee, Wisconsin alongside his siblings, Shirley, Kay, Maxine, Sandra, Troney, and Pamela as the second youngest within his family. In his youth, Phil was both an athlete and scholar; excelling in both sports (basketball, baseball), as well as academics.

Having internalized the successes of older siblings within the field of education, Phil then when on to pursue his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the 1970’s where he majored in Economics. Soon thereafter, obtaining his Masters in Business Administration at the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin.

With his strong proclivity in mathematics and analytics, Phil sought to apply his skill-sets towards business administration. During his late-20’s and early 30’s, Phil worked at both the Arthur Anderson (now known as Accenture) accounting firm, as well as the Chicago Board of Exchange based in Chicago, IL.  However, a larger calling would eventually bring Phil back to his hometown.

Soon after moving back to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Phil met his future wife in Justine Marie Beavers. The beautiful couple began curating a life together and then formally married in an intimate ceremony amongst their family and friends on January 23rd, 1988. It was this loving foundation which laid the groundwork for his proudest accomplishment in raising his three children, Samuel (1991), Avery (1993), and Lia Hutchins (1997).

His community often referred to him a ‘super-dad’ due to the level of personal involvement in the development of children’s interests. Sharing with them to passions of music (Phil was a noted audiophile), culinary-arts (BBQ, stir-fry and Mongolian Beef were among his favorite dishes) and of course tennis, often playing and instructing them for hours at a time during the Milwaukee summers.

A man of detail and precision, Phil often expressed his love for others through his encyclopedic level of knowledge across a myriad of subjects. His children fondly recount the number of visitors their father would have, singularly due to his specific knowledge and background on a particular subject. His warmth and advice served as a fatherly role-model figure for all younger generations whom were able to encounter his presence.

Phil transitioned peacefully on October 21, 2022 after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He leaves behind a legacy of love, light and intellectual curiosity that will reverberate for generations to come.

A memorial visitation will be held at the Krause Funeral Home, 9000 West Capitol Drive, Milwaukee Wisconsin on Friday, November 4, 2022, from 11:00 AM until 12:45 PM. A memorial service will follow at 1:00 PM.