Deceased December 27, 2015
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In Memory
Phil Cranshaw died two days after Christmas in 2015. He was the father of five with his first wife, Laura Cranshaw, and the stepfather of two by his second marriage to Janette Cranshaw. He had six grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. Phil’s son, John Cranshaw, reports that he loved and was very involved in the lives of all his children and stepchildren, as well as the lives of all his grandchildren and step-grandchildren.
Phil served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed in France.
Phil worked for many years as a stock market broker and later in his career became a banker.
Phil loved sailing and was also well-known as a talented builder of ship models. Phil’s stepdaughter, Day Farenga, writes, “Phil enjoyed working on model boats, building three-masted schooners with meticulous care for rigging, deck planking, sails and more. He worked as a volunteer at the USS Constitution Museum in Boston, where he built model boats while guests watched and asked questions. He loved doing it.”
Day also writes, “He always had a book going, reading military history, biographies, political intrigue and much more, and claiming towards the end of his life that he thought he may have read every book at the Belmont library.”
Phil was involved in the creation and support of the Belmont Senior Center in his home town, Belmont, Mass.
In the words of Phil’s son John, “I think that many of us remember him for his quirky sense of humor. Some people thought that he didn’t take things seriously. I think that he took a great many things seriously, which is exactly why he chose to leaven that by seeing the humor in most all situations. He was a kind and gentle man, always willing to help others.”
Andy Scholtz ’50