Philip Tomarchio

Philip Stephen Tomarchio, a resident of Mount Dora, Florida, passed away on June 15th, 2020, at age 79 after a short illness.  Philip was predeceased by his spouse Kevin H. Barnicle, his mother Josephine E. Tomarchio (nee Fusco),  his father Stephen Tomarchio and his beloved stepmother, Rosaria Testa Tomarchio (nee DiMauro).  Surviving are his brother Charles M. Tomarchio and his wife Mary Lynn (nee Ealey); nieces Stephanie Jo Tomarchio-Teague (Samuel), Christina M. Tomarchio-Manning (Eddie) and nephew Brian C. Tomarchio.  Also surviving is his dearest friend Judy Walcott (akin to a daughter), grandnieces Monica Carmen Tomarchio and Michelina Ann Sanders, grandnephew Skylar Charles Dixon and his wife Sabrina (nee Falcone), stepsister Tilda Rizzo (nee Testa) (Frank) and stepbrother Cosmo Testa (Gerri).

Philip served over 50 years in nursing. During his nursing career Philip obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and served as a nurse leader at various medical institutions in the Boston, Massachusetts area.  Philip had LPN licensure and then obtained his Registered Nurses Degree at Emerson College in Boston.  Philip got involved in a theater company in Boston.  He directed/staged, and ran lights.  He met Andy Graham an R.N. who was organizing a neighborhood drop-in center for the mentally ill people who were discharged from inpatient units to half-way houses.  Philip’s organizational skills helped increase the number of patients seen.  The center was called a Day Hospital where meds were administered, lunch was given and group meetings were set up to try to meet the patients’ needs.  Social Workers would establish groups to help patients improve their social skills.  Philip also nudged the Social Worker staff to find housing for patients that were living independently.  One of the many ideas that Philip initiated was to use the program as a training ground for nursing students and social workers training placement at the Day Hospital, all of which helped the patients and lightened the patient load of the RN’s and LPN.

Philip was an early supporter and friend of The Triangle Connection, a non-profit organization which offers social and service opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community.  This organization is focused on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for people of all sexual orientations and genders who live, love, work, play and visit Lake County’s Golden Triangle neighborhoods of Mount Dora, Eustis, and Tavares, Florida and surrounding areas.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Philip’s memory to Lake Cares Food Pantry, 2001 West Old Highway 441, Suite #1, Mount Dora, Florida, 32757, or at http://www.lakecares.org .

A celebration of life will be held at a future date in Florida.