Philip Catalfo

Philip M. Catalfo 10/24/60 - 01/04/24 Philip (Phil) Catalfo passed away on January 4, 2024 with his devoted wife Jayne, cherished daughter Jilian, and many loving family members by his side. In addition to his wife and daughter, Phil is survived by his father Anthony, sister Marie, and a large extended family of in-laws, cousins, and dear friends who are heartbroken at his passing. He was preceded in death by his mother, Loretta. A proud New Yorker, Phil grew up in Glendale, Queens before eventually settling down in Staten Island, but his true calling led him to spend many of his happiest years working in the Theater District in Manhattan. Phil began his career with Ticketron before going on to work as a Support Tech at The Shubert Theater. Often referring to himself as ''The King of Broadway'', Phil absolutely loved the theater, and considered his coworkers there to be part of his family. He credited his Aunt Rose with instilling in him a love for art and theater from an early age, and always made sure his friends and family received the royal treatment every time they ventured into the city to see a Broadway play. Over the years, Phil cherished the time spent at gatherings with friends and family, including vacations in Cape May, summers at Orient Point on Long Island, block parties with neighbors, and celebrating large holiday dinners with his loved ones. Phil also had a passion for music; he enjoyed Queen and the Rolling Stones, even taking a memorable road trip with his friend Tom to see the Stones live in concert. But Phil also had the wisdom to appreciate the simpler pleasures that came along with everyday life: eating a quiet dinner at his favorite Italian restaurants, rooting for the New York Jets, and laid back Sunday afternoons playing cards with his brother-in-law and best friend, Johnny. Phil enjoyed barbecuing-even during snowstorms!-and whipping up delicious spaghetti and baked clams on camping trips with Johnny and brothers-in-law Pat and Patrick, along with their nephew, Michael. Phil's greatest source of happiness came from the life he and Jayne built together, and the loving home in which they raised their beautiful daughter Jilian. He was an involved and actively engaged Dad right from the start, attending Jilian's dance recitals, sharing her love for cats, going on Daddy-Daughter dates to Broadway shows, enjoying day trips and vacations together, and reveling in all of her accomplishments big and small. He also kept up with what was going on in the busy lives of his many nieces and nephews, and more recently loved seeing pictures and videos of his great nieces' adorable antics. In his later years, Phil faced ongoing health struggles, but he refused to let that stop him from enjoying life and making each moment count. He used to say: ''I'll never just lay around and watch the birds fly.'' Instead, even when he became disabled and could no longer work, he volunteered his time at the Eger Health Care & Rehabilitation Center, and later joined a JCC program, where he would sing for the residents there. One of the songs Phil sang weekly was ''My Way'', which was especially appropriate: Phil was an inspiration to all who knew him, demonstrating extraordinary strength and determination on a daily basis, never letting anything stop him from living a life full of purpose and meaning. The family will receive friends from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at the John Vincent Scalia Home For Funerals, Inc., 28 Eltingville Blvd. (at Eltingville Station), Staten Island, New York. A Prayer Service will be at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at the Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Phil's memory to The Glaucoma Foundation or the Broadway League Foundation.

Philip Catalfo

October 24, 1960 - January 4, 2024