Phillip B. Cato

Phillip Barth Cato was born to Alphonso and Ruth Cato in 1940. He was the fourth child of five children and they were raised in Detroit, Mich. He had three brothers Anthony, Micheal and David(all diseased) and one sister Diane.

Phillip experienced a life well lived and highly blessed.

Phillip enlisted and served in the United States Army as a Radio Communications Operator. While in the Army, Phillip formed his own music trio to entertain the troops, which he loved to do. 

Phillip worked at Sears, Roebuck and Company in Highland Park, Michigan, where he met the love of his life Carol. They got married in 1966. Their son, Jason was born a few years later and not long after that, Phillip decided he wanted to “change-up” and live in another country for a while.

His first consideration was to move to Italy, where he was stationed while in the Army. After much consideration, the family packed up and moved to Toronto,Ontario, in 1970. The family lived in Toronto nearly a decade. While there Phillip was able to acquire a position at Eaton’s Department Store where became one of the company’s leading International Furniture Buyers and the first person of color to serve in such an elite position. 

The best was yet to come. The family moved back to Detroit in 1978. In 1980 Phillip felt called to serve the Lord and serve he did. Attending First Baptist Institutional Church in Detroit, Phillip was ordained as a Deacon of the Church where he spent the next seventeen years serving as the Youth Director along with Carol by his side. He worked diligently with the youth of all ages and backgrounds to provide them vast opportunities to come to know, trust and love the Lord.

Phillip (affectionally referred to as “Punkin”) had several past-times that he enjoyed with friends. He loved the game of football, where he deemed himself as the “Foot Ball Guru”, which was questionable to some. He also loved watching movies and listening to different genres of music and sharing them with others, particularly with the nieces, nephews and anyone who would listen. He coined the phrase, “it’s a Classic “!

The Cato’s moved to South West Florida in 2010 after retirement and wandered into Family Church in Port Charlotte and never looked back. Phillip and Carol participated in the Agape Sunday School class where he was referred to as “Brother Phil “(by the Sunday school teacher), he also was the assistant Sunday school teacher. He would open the class with a prolific prayer and praise to our Lord and Savior.

Phillip B. Cato’s unwavering faith in the healing power of the Lord guided him and his family through several health challenges. Phillip was the evidence of God’s Grace. Carol often called him her “Miracle Man”, and the ever-ready Bunny that keeps going on. Phillip leaves to cherish his memory, his wife Carol (of 58 years), son Jason (Dianna), grandsons Phillip Kayin, and Jason Kibri, sister Diane Cato, in laws, Krista Kikuyu (Omari), Anthony Williams and a host of nieces, nephews cousins and friends.

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”

 Luke 23:43 env