When news hit my inbox that longtime press club member Phil Jason had passed away, my heart filled with both sadness and warmth.
The sadness I felt reflected the loss Phil’s passing would have on the club, especially for those of us who had the privilege of working side by side with him. Phil was a strong leader on the board of governors and he brilliantly and tirelessly chaired the annual Authors and Books Festival and Writers’ Conference for many years, raising substantial funds for the club’s journalism scholarship program.
Phil’s ever-welcome presence at press club events would be missed. And that reality brought me sadness.
But nestled in with the feelings of grief, I found my heart overflowing with warm thoughts and memories of Phil. With each thought came a vivid picture of Phil’s smile, which always lit up a room.
As I clicked on the link to his obituary that his son had sent to me and Phil’s other Facebook friends, imagine my joy at reading the following:
Phil Jason Book Reviewer
“He will be remembered by all for his caring heart, civic mindedness, keen wit, love of learning and friendly smile.”
There it was: Phil being remembered for that warm, contagious smile!
As I read the entire obituary, which you can read in the Naples Daily News here, I was in awe of the lifetime of accomplishments this one human being achieved.
In the field of writing, editing, and publishing, Dr. Philip K. Jason was a superstar, who will be remembered by so many for his contributions to journalism and the literary world.
But for those whose lives he touched personally, Phil will most likely be remembered for that caring heart and smile that his family so lovingly described in his obituary.
Below, several press club members share their fond memories of Phil.
Founding member Fritzi Thorner writes, “Phil was a friend of long standing. He was greatly respected by everyone he met. I was fortunate to have experienced him functioning in many of his facets. I will miss his book reviews and recommendations, but most of all, I will miss Phil. My sincere condolences to Ruth and the rest of the family.”
Cindy Pierce notes, “I loved working with Phil when he wrote book reviews for Florida Weekly. He was a gem. We had many laughs over many lunches. May his memory be a blessing.”
Phil Jason and Connie Kindsvater at 2022 Media Mixer
Board member and scholarship committee chair Connie Kindsvater says, “When I was a new member of the press club in 2002, Phil reached out to me and invited me to get involved with the annual Authors and Book Festival that he helped start. I joined his committee and enjoyed doing all that I could to help the project gain momentum and advance. He was great to work with. One of his personality traits was that he was a very kind, friendly person, with great ideas. He will be missed, for sure!”
The club’s webmaster and former secretary Sandy Reed writes, “Phil Jason was an amazing person. Among many talents, he was a talented writer and gave so much of himself and his gifts to others. I once took a creative writing course from him. I so admired his patience and creativity. He devoted a great deal of time and expertise to the press club. I truly enjoyed working with him to make the inaugural Authors and Books Festival happen. What a tragic loss to so many and to the Naples community.”
Longtime club member Denyse Mesnik shares, “The circle of life sometimes connects us in a most serendipitous way! When I joined the press club many years ago, Phil was a board member who warmly shepherded me through my early meetings. His genuine interest in both the club’s members and mission was evident from that first hello, and it never diminished as years passed. Recently I was drawn to a particular book in my personal library, given to me while visiting an art gallery in Washington, DC, in the early 1980s. To my surprise, I noticed that Phil wrote the Afterword! Reading his eloquent words, I could see his smile and feel his kind demeanor. What a special gentleman and incredibly talented writer. Blessings to his family.”
Whenever we think of Phil, let’s remember Denyse’s words, and “see his smile and feel his kind demeanor.”
The world is a much better place because of the life of Dr. Philip K. Jason. Rest in peace, our cherished friend.
You can read many of Phil’s book reviews along with highlights of his distinguished career here: https://philjason.wordpress.com/