Obituary: Philip Cutler Wattles, 1952 - 2025

Phil was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania on March 30, 1952. He passed away peacefully on December 25, 2025, in the home on Nantucket that he and his loving wife Kathy so thoughtfully designed and gratefully lived in.

Phil could always find the positive in life, and he lived his cancer journey with courage, hope, humor, and grace. Phil was a good man with a genuine zest for life and we miss him deeply. We find ourselves wanting more of him. More home-cooked meals. More curated travels. More riffs on the piano. More lively conversations. He gave himself generously to the people he loved.

There is an empty chair at the table now. Laughter lands slightly off-key. Conversations miss his wit. On the sofa, Otto, his golden retriever, still searches for his warmth.

Phil loved a good story. One of his most amusing tales is that of the time when he and his two buddies won the 1984 “One Lap of America” in a rented Ford station wagon. They customized the wagon with extra lights and hand-painted cows on the windows before setting off on the week-long rally across the US and back. Their CB radio call sign was “Cow pie,” and as they sped from checkpoint to checkpoint their running commentary became legendary. They finished with the fastest time and closest mileage - but many competitors joked that they should have won for the radio banter alone.

Phil's absence is felt in our homes and in any place where his curiosity and love of exploration drew him. On the sandy beaches and the trails of the Serengeti on Nantucket. In the Green Mountains of Vermont. On peaceful Belgrade Lakes, Maine. Abroad at his favorite European travel destinations, Scotland and France. In the halls of his schools in Asheville NC and Sanford ME. And on the neighborhood streets of Bryn Mawr, where he grew up. All places in which he cultivated lifelong friendships.

Thank you, Phil, for your love, your laughter, and your life. And the next time we gather around a beautiful meal with good friends, great conversation, music and lighting that feels just right – know that you are there, too. So, we'll put a ravioli on our foreheads and laugh and dance the night away.

Because we celebrate you, a gathering will be held at our home at 14B Norwood Street, Nantucket, on June 6, 2026.

Donations in Phil’s honor would be warmly accepted by two charities that he loved: Swim Across America, www.swimacrossamerica.org/nantucket or mail to: Swim Across America – Nantucket , PO Box 3271, Nantucket, MA 02584 or to Marla Ceely Lamb Cancer Travel Fund, PO Box 3541, Nantucket, MA 02584.