Philip Todd Gittens—beloved son and brother, devoted uncle, committed friend, bon vivant who never lost his appetite for the commonplace, lifelong learner, and international man of mystery—left this world far too soon, on April 13, 2025.

Born in Riverview Hospital on October 15, 1970, Philip attended St. Leo the Great elementary school and then Christian Brothers Academy before graduating from Holmdel High School in 1988. He was on the wrestling team for CBA and was in the drama club at HHS. He graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in bioenvironmental engineering in 1992 and furthered his education by completing an MBA at California State University–East Bay in 2001.

In 1992 he made a fateful decision that would forever shape the direction of his life. He joined the Peace Corp and set out for Ecuador. There his ostensible responsibilities were to plan and manage construction of water supply projects, but as his friends in the Peace Corps can attest, the job became far more than that. Cultural sensitivity, high-level people management skills, diplomatic finesse, determination, patience, and an aptitude for improvisation were also required. If you didn’t have these, you would need to develop them—quickly! What was also needed at this time of geographic remove from old friends and the familiar world were new friends to carry him through, and in finding that comfort, Phil excelled. “I’ve made friends here that should be for a lifetime. I will never have such a shared experience at any time for so long and so intensely. I can see I’ve changed much in 2 years. My perspective has been altered. It’s been 2 years of experimentation and of living completely by my own rules. I’m quite independent but I realize that I rely much on family and friends and I hope you’ll always be there for me, and I’ll try to do the same.”

And in this, Phil did not just try—he did! Throughout his many years of overseas assignments—in Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Cape Verde, Honduras, Myanmar, Panama, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Vietnam—Phil took the time and made every effort to remain in touch with his family and oldest friends, as well as to strengthen ties with the new friends he had gathered along the way. He wrote thoughtful letters and shared candidly before the internet was a thing, and with the rise of email, he carried his computer with him everywhere and continued to connect with others far away even as he shared the present moment with you.

Phil blazed like Halley’s Comet, streaking through our skies periodically as he recounted his adventures for us and recharged himself to begin a new orbit of exploration. Phil’s exuberance for exploring the world was unmatched and he wanted to share his findings with everyone. So, he would periodically send a group email telling of his latest sojourn or set up a slide show in the family living room when he came back “home.” Or he would cook a meal intended to recreate a dish he had had overseas. And, of course, there was always the ideal pairing with a particular wine.

Phil was frugal. He valued experiences over possessions, so he saved on everyday expenses to travel more frequently. He did not travel to places to just tick off an item from a list, but instead, he immersed himself in the history, culture, and rhythms of the countries he went to. He dove deep into Thailand and Vietnam, visiting them for extended periods and studying those languages in addition to his first foreign language, Spanish, and his native English.

His final professional stop was at the Bureau of Reclamation in Yuma, Arizona, where he worked on projects managing the Colorado River water basin. After all the years of international work, Phil embraced this return to the United States and enjoyed the organizational and financial certainties he experienced in these stateside projects. Even more than becoming known as a good engineer, Phil was valued for his well-developed soft skills of building teams and culture and was seen as the freest of free spirits.

Despite his work and these global travels, Phil remained a devoted presence in the lives of his nieces and nephews. To them, he could be both the goofy kid who never grew up, as well as the person who spoke to them as adults and treated them as grownups as they got older. He compiled life lessons and reflections into a treatise for them called “I Can Get Behind That: Guide to Living—Lessons of Uncle.”

Phil is survived by his mother, Joan; his sister Janine Popovich and her husband, John; his brother Jack Gittens and his wife Donna; his brother Colin Gittens and his wife, Maureen Donaghy; and his brother Tom Gittens and his wife Sunny. Phil’s father John passed away in 1990. Additional survivors are Ben (nephew) and wife Raizha Popovich and Casey (niece) and husband Ammar Alawna; Patrick Gittens (nephew) and fiancée Melanie Dombro and Brianna Gittens (niece) and partner Aidan Siegel; and nieces Teagan and Kenzie Gittens.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Water for People (www.waterforpeople.org/), a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works with local governments, businesses, and individuals to bring clean water and sanitation systems to their communities and provides the resources to maintain those systems into the future. This type of work is where Phil began his professional journey more than 30 years ago.

A wake will be held at Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 South Holmdel Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733 on Friday, April 25, from 3-7 PM. A funeral mass will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 9:30 at St. Leo the Great Church, 50 Hurleys Lane, Lincroft, NJ 07738 with a repast to follow. Photos and remembrances can be left at https://www.online-tribute.com/PhilGittens