Obituary of Phillip Dunlap Barksdale Jr.

Phillip (Phil) Dunlap Barksdale Jr, 88, of Melbourne, FL, passed away after a short illness on February 2, 2024. 

Phil was born in Jacksonville, FL to Phillip and Helen Barksdale on March 7, 1935.  As a teen, his family moved to Chatham, NJ where he excelled academically, as well as athletically, playing baseball and soccer in Chatham HS.  He went on to college at University of Virginia where he studied business and economics and was in the ROTC.  Upon graduation from UVA in 1958, he and his former wife of 40 years, Marion (Betty) Barksdale, were stationed with the army, first in Oklahoma and then Germany where he served for two years.   

After his service in the Army, Phil was employed at Irving Trust Company on Wall Street in NYC for a career that spanned nearly 30 years.  Phil lived and raised his family in Florham Park, NJ and then eventually, Mendham, NJ.  At the end of his banking career with Irving Trust Company, he did some consulting work in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Bahrain. Phil married again in 1996 to his wife of 27 years, Cecilia, until his death. 

After retiring, Phil and Cecilia settled in Melbourne Beach, Fl where they enjoyed an active retirement with friends.  Phil enjoyed golf, tennis, jogging, scuba diving and riding his wave runner as well as being an active member in his church. 

Phil was predeceased in death by his sisters, Martha Wright and Joanne Calderwood. 

He is survived by his wife, Cecilia Barksdale, his son, Kenneth Barksdale and his wife, Lisa, of Sykesville, MD, his daughters, Karen Hogan and husband, Martin, of Denville, NJ, Judy Matthijssen and husband, Scott, of Peapack, NJ and grandchildren: Sara Guzman and husband, Kevin, Brian Buchanan, and partner, Britteny and two great grandchildren, Ryan and Dominic, Thomas Barksdale and fiancé, Kristian Olguin, Amy Ruppert and husband, Billy, Chase Matthijssen, Devin Matthijssen and wife, Pam, Cooper Matthijssen, Raejen Stone and Christina Jacobs and her husband, Brian. 

A memorial service to honor Phil’s life will be held on Saturday, April 6th, 10:00AM at the Calvary Chapel Melbourne (CCM), 2955 Minton Rd, West Melbourne. 

Memorial donations can be made in Phil’s name to the organization of your choice. 

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the wonderful staff at Viera Hospital and the Hospice nurses for their comforting and sympathetic care. 

Phil will forever be in our hearts as a husband, father and grandfather.