Obit of Sureck, Philip - Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 2 Oct 2005 Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.html ========================================================================== Sureck, Philip Philip Sureck, a loving husband and brother and favorite uncle known for his limitless cheer and generosity, passed away Sunday, August 14, 2005 at his home in Oklahoma City. He was 94, and the first child born in the United States to Edward and Eva Rachel Sureck, who braved czarist border guards and an ocean crossing to leave the troubled lands of Eastern Europe for a new life in America, arriving in Oklahoma City shortly after statehood. Phil's professional accomplishments were many: He was honored with a 70-year membership award from the Oklahoma County Bar Association in 2003, and served as a hearing examiner and federal administrative law judge with the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals of the Social Security Agency until retiring in 1979. He previously worked for the Veterans Administration in Muskogee and Oklahoma City as an adjudicator, authorization officer and chairman of a rating board, and also was a landman and vice president of Union Oil Company of Oklahoma. As successful as Phil was in the career world, his life was perhaps most defined by his love of family and his military service. Phil was married to his wife Sybil (Hooper) for 57 years, until her passing last year, and the couple lived a life of such love and cheerfulness that family members joked they had truly discovered the fountain of youth - in each other. To Phil's many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, his generosity was constant and boundless. His technique for bestowing gifts became known as 'the Uncle Phil handshake,' because every visit ended with a hug and a handshake that included a $5 bill, or more, tucked with a conspiratorial wink into the palm of a niece or nephew. World War II summoned Phil from private law practice in Oklahoma City, and his military efforts exemplified those who now are called 'the greatest generation.' After completing basic training at Fort Sill, then-Private Sureck told people, 'I was determined to become an officer.' He was commissioned a second lieutenant after Field Artillery Officer Candidate School, and was assigned to counter-intelligence training at Camp Ritchie, Maryland. He then was posted to the G2 (Intelligence) section of the Army's First Infantry Division, known as 'The Big Red One,' in advance of the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. While in Sicily, he was designated as an Army trial Judge Advocate and prosecuted many courts-martial. Phil knew when to be strict with American soldiers who ran afoul of military law, and when to show mercy. 'My toughest challenge was coping with my feelings for some of the accused who had experienced hardships, danger, and who had seen many of their buddies killed or wounded on the battlefield,' he later told an officer writing the history of the military's Judge Advocates. He applied those standards to the enemy, as well, and once granted a captured Italian general the right to spend a final night with his family and then surrender in uniform the next day. So grateful was the enemy officer for Phil's understanding and show of respect, that when the Italian general appeared for surrender - on time - the next morning, he brought along a half-dozen other senior Italian officers who wanted to surrender to Phil, as well. For two months, he was the acting staff Judge Advocate General for the entire First Infantry Division, and his performance of duty was deemed so crucial to the division's war effort that then-Captain Sureck was awarded the Bronze Star. His citation told of 'meritorious achievement' in operations against the enemy, including 'prompt and efficient investigation of subversive elements in occupied areas' that proved critical to the division's uninterrupted advance and 'contributed immeasurably to the success of the Sicilian campaign.' After those victories in Sicily, Phil redeployed with the First Infantry Division for the D-Day landing into northern France, which truly changed the tide of the war against Hitler. With his Army intelligence and Judge Advocate experiences, Phil was among the officers who advanced with frontline troops to impose law and order on captured territory during the drive to Berlin, deciding the fate of captured Nazi military officers and choosing which Nazi bureaucrats and businessmen were key to continuing the production of food and electricity and water, and which should be immediately incarcerated. Following his honorable discharge from active duty after his World War II service, Phil remained in the Army Reserve as a Judge Advocate, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1970. Born Nov. 7, 1910, in Oklahoma City, Phil graduated from Central High School in 1928, and he then attended the University of Oklahoma, receiving his law degree in 1933. He practiced law in Oklahoma City until he entered military service in 1943. Phil was a longtime member of Emanuel Synagogue and of the Petroleum Club. Phil fell in his home last May and suffered a broken leg and other complications. His wish was to come home after a lengthy hospital stay. Phil was preceded in death by his parents and by brothers Henry, Jacob B., Morris and Joseph. He is survived by brother David and sister-in-law Nancy, of New York City; sister Shirley and brother-inlaw Ben Shanker of Oklahoma City; and sister-in-law Grace Sureck (widow of Joseph) of Dana Point, CA.; by nephews Jay Shanker and wife Sara Jane Rose of Oklahoma City, Mark Shanker of London, Thom Shanker and wife Lisa Gordinier of McLean, VA., Philip Sureck and wife Roslyn of Dallas; by nieces Sandra Shanker Ben-David and husband Rabbi Aryeh of Efrat, Israel, Shana Sureck of West Hartford, CT, Suzy Sureck of New York City, N.Y., Dena Sureck Briskin and husband Larry of Centreville, OH; and by numerous great-nieces and great-nephews, and great-great nieces. Special appreciation is expressed to Phil's longtime and devoted care-giver, Sue Chitwood, and to Sandra Winrow, and especially to Mercy Hospice Care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Emanuel Synagogue, 900 NW 47th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73118; to Mercy Hospice, 13301 N. Meridian Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73120; or to the charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, August 16, at 2:00 pm at Hahn-Cook, Street & Draper Funeral Home with interment following at Emanuel Hebrew Cemetery. Published in The Oklahoman from 8/15/2005 - 8/16/2005. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html