Philip "Phil" Douglas Geil
January 10th, 1935 — May 15th, 2015
Philip (Phil) Douglas Geil, 80, passed away Friday, May 15, 2015. He was born January 10, 1935, in St. Louis, MO, to Philip Elmer Geil and Loretta Steffen Geil. He grew up in Mobile, AL, and graduated from Auburn University in 1956 with a BS in mechanical engineering. Upon graduation he entered the Navy and was stationed in Albuquerque, NM, at the U.S. Naval Air Special Weapons Facility. He loved the West, and stayed in Denver as a Propulsion Test Engineer for the Martin Company after his discharge. In the 60s Phil moved to Boulder to attend law school. He graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1967 and entered private practice. Phil practiced law in Boulder for over 40 years. He also developed several real estate projects, including Key West Farms close to Keystone Ski Resort and the Meadow Glen neighborhood in Boulder, where he and Louise made their home.
Sports were a huge part of Phil’s life. He began skiing while in New Mexico, and honed his skills in Colorado. He joined the ski patrol at Arapahoe Basin, later becoming a ski instructor. Phil was one of Vail’s first ski instructors in 1962, and he taught there both full and part time for 20 years. He played and competed in tennis for many decades, primarily at the Meadows Club, which he helped start. He could also be found skating on the pond behind the family home and doing flips on the trampoline nearly every day into his late 70s.
Phil is survived by his wife, Louise, of Boulder, three daughters, Kimberly (Suna Kneisley) of Sacramento, CA, Julie (Dana) Carson, of Minneapolis, MN, and Kristin (Monty) Ham, of Aurora, CO, one son, Jeffrey, of Calistoga, CA, and one grandchild, Milana Ham. He is also survived by two siblings, Roger Geil and Mary Lou Walsh, both of Mobile, AL.
Services
Funeral services will be held at noon on Wednesday, June 3, at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church, 3300 Table Mesa Drive in Boulder. After interment at Green Mountain Cemetery, 290 20th Street, the family will host a reception at Louise and Phil’s home.
Donations may be made to the United States Tennis Association Foundation, www.ustafoundation.com, or one may honor Phil’s memory by making a donation to a favorite charity.
Cemetery
None
Location
None
Church
None
Condolences