Tribute to my Elder late BrotherPHILLIP ERYE WELCH SR. (1925 - August 24, 2011)My oldest brother Phillip was a remarkable man, and even at my age, I miss him more than I can ever say. We called him Pine or Pineapple. He was the eldest son of Bernice and Lionel Erie Welch. We lived above Crystal Cave, a top of Blue Hole Hill in Baileys Bay, Hamilton Parish. Phillip was very mature and independent and even at a young age he knew that he wanted to do something with his hands. Phillip learned his trade, machinery, at Boo Meyer’s Machine Shop in St. Georges in 1940. It was a skill that he would exercise with love and precision for over 60 years.By age 16, Phillip had matured remarkably at his trade. His bosses secretly gave him a promotion and a raise in salary as a result. His skills included working on welding and repairing engines - including large ship engines. On occasion, Mike Bierman, the first producer of concrete blocks in Bermuda had problems with his machines. Mr. Bierman would call Meyer’s machine shop and would request that they send only Phillip Welch to repair his equipment; by that time, Phillip was well known for his talent with machinery and his workmanship. Later, Phillip told me that he was invited to help with the NASA tracking system at Coopers Island in St. David’s. Soon, Phillip became a supervisor at NASA, a post he held for over 24 years.In his later years, Phillip retired to Orlando, Florida. There he raised a beautiful family with his wife Vanessa. They had four sons, Phillip Jr., Jerome, Charles and Samuel and an adopted son and daughter Ronald and Dolly Budhu.Phillip passed away on August 24, 2011. This was within hours of his close friend, Walter Brangman. They are both great losses to Bermuda. They were not only tradesmen, but advisors, fathers, and friends. They were both sons of the Bermuda soil, they were above average and I miss them both greatly.If I could see my brother one last time, I would tell him how much I miss him. How I miss his help and guidance, his abundance of love for his family and his wisdom. I would tell him how proud of him I still am. How I often think about our heritage - not only our Bermuda heritage but also our Cherokee Native American, German and Scandinavian heritages. I would ask him how all of our heritages came together to produce such a remarkable man.My brother is gone from this earth, but his memory will live on always in my heart and in the hearts of his children, grandchildren and friends. We will never forget you Phillip.With Love - Your brother,Edward McDonald Welch