Philip Filsinger

Philip H. "Babe" Filsinger, 91, of Oakland passed away on Sunday, June 17, 2012 at Garrett County Memorial Hospital. The fourth of ten children, Babe was born 91 years ago on October 27, 1920 in his family's 19th century farmhouse in Deer Park, the son of the late Philip C. and Mary (Ruge) Filsinger. As a child, he walked to a one-room school called "Armistead," which had also been attended by his father, his aunt, and his wife-to-be, Kate. He liked to reminisce about the hard work he and his brother, Bob, did as children to develop the farm, especially clearing trees to prepare a field for planting. With two threshing machines on the farm, as a teenager, he sometimes would take one to a farm in one part of the county while his father took the other to another farm. Despite the hard work, he often spoke fondly of his farm days and liked to boast that as a boy he "did a man's work." During World War II, Babe enlisted in the army and served in the South Pacific as a welder and mechanic. After the war, he worked for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad for 32 years. In retirement, he and Kate traveled a great deal in their motor home, along with their dog, seeing much of the country. He followed current events avidly and loved to hold forth on the issues of the day, from fracking to world affairs and politics. He also loved to reminisce about his favorite car, a 1951 Buick Roadmaster, which he saw in an Oakland dealership as he was driving by. He fell in love with the car on first sight and bought it that day, a purchase completely out of character for a man who always managed his money very carefully. Until his health began to fail this year, he took loving care of his wife at their home, and was saddened to have to admit her to the care of Goodwill Nursing Home, where he hoped to join her. Babe is survived by his beloved wife of over 70 years, Katherine "Kate" (Peck) Filsinger who is a resident of the "Memory Lane" Unit at the Goodwill Home, Grantsville; one brother, Robert Filsinger and two sisters, Patricia Filsinger and Barbara Pritts, all of Deer Park; as well as numerous nieces and nephews, including three special nieces, Mary Ann Butler, Susan Filsinger Virts and Debbie Frantz-Wine, all of Oakland; and an aunt, Katherine Schaeffer of Baltimore. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four sisters, Frances Goetten, Ann Filsinger, Ruth Filsinger, and Mary Reardon; and two brothers, John Filsinger and Charles "Mick" Filsinger. Friends will be received at the Burdock-Fredlock Funeral Home, 21 N 2nd St., Oakland on Wednesday, June 20th from 6 to 8 PM. A funeral service will be held in the funeral home at 10 AM on Thursday, June 21st A funeral service will be held in the funeral home at 10 AM on Thursday, June 21st with Babe's nephew, the Rev. John P. Reardon, Associate Pastor of the Church of the Holy Paraclete, Providence, RI officiating. Interment will follow in Garrett County Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Southern Rescue Squad, PO Box 378, Oakland, MD 21550 or Hospice of Garrett County, PO Box 271, Oakland, MD 21550.

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