Racine – Philip Joseph Demski, age 78, passed away peacefully at Ascension All Saints Hospital on Saturday, December 9, 2023.

Philip was born in Milwaukee to Gust and Pauline (nee: Blazejewski) Demski. When Philip was only age 6, his father died suddenly, leaving his mom to be a single parent with an only child. The compassionate nuns from the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa stepped in to help get the young, devastated family back on their feet. The generosity of the nuns stuck with Phil for the rest of his life and was a continued vocal and financial advocate for the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters.

Phil was a graduate of St. John's Cathedral High School in Milwaukee in 1963 where he established an extensive lifetime circle of friends. He went to earn his B.S. from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in 1968. In 1968, he joined Vista and was located in South Chicago. Then he attended UW-Milwaukee to obtain his Master's in 1972. Phil was employed as a well-respected Probation Parole Agent for the State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections for many, many years retiring in 2006.

During adulthood, when he wasn't working, Phil was a worldwide traveler – making it across the globe especially throughout Europe and Asia. On May 24, 2014, Philip was united in marriage with the love of his life, Carol Lynn Hovorka. They were members of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Racine. Phil was a longstanding Knights of Columbus – 3 ^rd Degree Council #1709 in South Milwaukee.

To say Philip was an extreme sports fan is an understatement. He had such fond memories of attending the Milwaukee Braves baseball games as a child with his mother. He switched over as a Chicago Cubs fan when the Braves left Milwaukee. Later became a Brewers fan. He was such a Green Bay Packers fan that he attended Ray Nitschke's funeral. Philip has played baseball with his buddies his entire life on the "Codgers and Sons" Milwaukee team, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame and given an eternal front row seat for being their greatest fan.

Philip, affectionately known by his friends as "Flipper" and "Moose", was a self-taught jokester and had such a unique sense of humor. He was always there for everyone with a smile and a corny joke (good or bad – mostly bad) and loved spreading good vibes throughout our community. Proud of his Polish heritage, Phil was a great and knowledgeable Milwaukee historian who was always up for a game of Sheepshead with anyone who would play.

Surviving are his loving wife, Carol Lynn Hovorka-Demski; their son, Christopher (Jennifer) Hovorka, Sr.; grandsons, Christopher Jr. and Benjamin Hovorka; sister-in-law, Debra (Terry) Aul; brother-in-law, Richard (Gail Baker) Hovorka, Jr.; close cousins, Phil (Linda) Petersen and Emmett (Janine) Petersen; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many, many friends – too numerous to mention all by name.

Services celebrating Philip's life will be held in Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Monday, December 18, 2023 at 11:30 am with Fr. Steve Varghese, SAC officiating. Entombment will take place in West Lawn Memorial Park. A memorial luncheon will follow. Visitation will be in the funeral home on Monday from 9:30 – 11:30 am. In memory of Phil, memorials to his favorite organization: Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters (585 County Road Z   Sinsinawa, WI 53824-9701) or to the charity of one's choice have been suggested.

A heartfelt note of thanks to the wonderful staff of Ascension All Saints Hospital and to Lakeshore at Siena for the compassionate care and support given in Phil's time of need. May God bless all of you!

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