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Subject: Phil Hill's Funeral, sent to us by Roy C. Morris.
Hello all, Here's a note from Rick Hayden about the Phil Hill Funeral, 09/12/08. Carol and I went to Phil Hill's Funeral Wednesday morning, at St. Monica's Catholic Church in Santa Monica. His son, Derek, said that Ferrari had called with condolences, and that all the workers at the factory were in mourning. During Derek’s eulogy, he stated that his father, who rarely went to church, would be amused to see that today he had filled one! And filled it was, with the pantheon of American roadracers, Phil's peers. Phil was, arguably, at the apex of his contemporaries; not a full cut above, mind you – impossible - but by just that little bit. To this day, he remains the only American-born World Driving Champion. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame had poured its best living drivers into this church, to bid farewell to one of their own: Carroll Shelby, just behind the pallbearers, who had raced fiercely against Phil in Aston Martins and Maseratis before his retirement from driving due to a heart condition, and for whom Phil raced in the halcyon Cobra years, had – we later learned - managed to communicate his love to Phil just the day before he died; Jim Hall flew in from Midland Texas, also an early competitor, and later employer in the Chaparral world-beater effort of the '60s; Dan Gurney, who could win in anything with four wheels, wife Evi and son Alec, himself an accomplished driver, were there; and Rufus "Parnelli" Jones, also with championships in all forms of motorsport; Dick Guldstrand, “Mr. Corvette;” Bruce Kessler, 50’s teenage driving phenom, friend of James Dean, and successful Hollywood director; Davey Jordan, with five Sebring 12-hours under his belt; Jerry Grant, who made the first 200 mph lap at Indy; Tony Adamowicz, representing, as he always does, the Polish Racing Drivers of America; John Morton, Still the ‘Go-To’ stick for a sure Vintage win after 45 years...
The Automotive press was there as well, cameraless in respectful silence: Thos Bryant and the Road & Track crew, John Lamm, Preston Lerner, Art Evans, Michael Lynch, Dusty Brandel, Alan Bolte’… And the manufacturers: John Clinard of Ford, Barry Meguire, notably leaning over to offer a passing Ed Justice, Jr. condolences on the recent passing of HIS father; and the mechanics (Steele Therkelson), the designers (Pete Brock), the collectors (Bruce Meyer); the enablers (Steve Earle, Cris Vandagriff) and the names and faces I did not know… And the rest of us, honored to be in such company, to pay last respects to a Truly Great Gentleman. Dr Ernie Nagamatsu, owner of the late Max Balchowsky's "Ole Yeller Mk II" had written a poignant tribute to Phil for the program, speaking for Phil: "If I Could I would...gather my family one last time...drive one more time slowly along the old roads that were once the race circuits for Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines...sit one last time in some of the great magnificent race cars that I raced...visit some race circuits that resonated in my mind forever such as Nurburgring, Spa and of course Monaco...and I would have afternoon tea as Europe taught me...salute all of the grid marshals and corner workers around the world...have a beach picnic with my lovely girls...hug my grandson, Vaughn, one last time...step into my garage in Santa Monica and spend some last quiet and special moments..." "If I could I would, race to the checkered flag one last time, but little did I realize that the checkered flag had touched the face of God, and he was flagging me home..." Pictures of Phil the perfectionist clock-smith, classical music lover, collector of mechanical music-making machines and piano rolls, classic car restorer and above all, family man were both painted in words and inserted in the program, which included the famous hymn “Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know,” lyrics and music written by Phil's mother, evangelist Lela B. Long, in 1927 – the year she gave us Phil as well.
Father Brendan, Irish brogue and all, ended the Homily with an unprogrammed a’ cappella air in his faultless tenor. "The Prayer" was belted out Broadway-fashion by obvious professionals (for this assembly of professionals) Helena Buscema and Leslie Smith, who ended the service with their "Song of Farewell." Phil's widow, Alma, tearfully lead the recessional, measured and somber, behind Phil's coffin; the church slowly emptied with discreet bobbing of heads of the noting and the noticed. Alma came through the crowd at curbside after the service, the press of well-wishers easing her grief, and we were able to pay our respects and offer our condolences personally. I reminded her that, at the Coronado Races in 2003 when Phil was engaged in a conversation with someone and Alma was at his side, Carol and I - suited up - were rushing by and, not wanting to interrupt his conversation but nevertheless desiring to pass a quick greeting, I knelt down on the concrete and 'kissed' his driving shoes. This brought smiles to everyone's face (though Phil was initially perplexed), and Alma, shaking her head, said to Carol in 'sotto voce' as if sharing a secret: "They're ALL crazy, aren't they?" We thanked her for taking such good care of Phil, for all of us.
The '30 Packard Town Car in the cortege needed to be jump-started, bringing out the smiles and the pocket cameras at last as the bright Santa Monica sunshine warmed the loathe-to-disperse assemblage, and we all had time to exchange pleasantries. The cortege included Phil's 1931 Pierce Arrow Le Baron Town Cabriolet - see @ Jay Leno's Garage http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/your_garage/cars/7307.shtml - which has been in Phil's family since new, and which he famously restored in the early '50s while on enforced hiatus from racing due to a stomach ulcer, subsequently taking the first Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance “Best of Show” in 1955. Brought up at the last to lead the cortege away to Phil's private interment was, perhaps most fitting of all, the apparent 1961 Le Mans GT Class-winning Ferrari Competition SWB Berlinetta, replete with race number 14. With a symphony of V-12 music emanating through open pipes and reverberating off the cityscape, the Ferrari proudly led our Champion to his final resting place.
From Rick Hayden. Link to Dave Nicholas’ great (’64?) Sebring portrait of Phil on the BARC Boys site @ http://www.barcboys.com/Images/drivers%201/PHill7v2web.jpg
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