Felix “Phil” Makus, age 98 of Wayne, died on Thursday, November 29, 2018.  He had lived in Clifton since 1957 and moved to Wayne just a few years ago.

Phil grew up in Passaic during the Great Depression.  He left school as a young teenager to find employment and ended up joining the Civilian Conservation Corps.  They shipped him off to Colorado where he worked on various heavy construction projects as a laborer.  He learned to drive trucks at a very young age, and had some incredible experiences.  On one occasion, he was instructed to drive up a steep mountain and load a bulldozer onto his trailer, and then bring it down the mountain and deliver it to another job site.  He didn’t secure the bulldozer properly and it slid of the trailer on the way down the mountain, tumbling over!  Lucky for him, it landed right side up and he was able to get the damaged machine back onto the trailer and he delivered it, as instructed.  When his supervisor questioned all the damage on the machine, he feigned ignorance and said “that’s how it was when I picked it up.”

Phil joined the U.S. Army during World War II, fighting with the 137th Infantry throughout Europe.  A combat Infantryman and Heavy Machine Gunner, he earned three bronze stars along with the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal.  Discharged in 1945, he returned to civilian life and once again began driving trucks.

Phil’s early career was with “Grand Rapids” furniture in Passaic.  He made deliveries, and he was also skilled at repairs and touch-up.  He later began delivering for Sears Roebuck and spent the better part of his career delivering for them.

Phil wasn’t afraid to tackle any challenge and he taught himself how to do just about everything.  He rebuilt an entire house after tearing it down to the studs, including the electric and plumbing!  If he was unsure of how to do something, he’d read a book to learn more.  He would pester electricians and plumbers, asking them tons of questions in order to learn how to do something he was trying to accomplish.  He even did all of his own car repairs, including body work!  He was amazing and could literally do just about anything.  As an Elder at Faith Gospel Church in Clifton, he was nominated to act as General Contractor when they decided to build a new church.  He had never been a General Contractor before, but he had all the knowledge to get the job done.

Phil met his wife Helen when they were kids living in the same neighborhood.  No one is really sure when their first date might have been, because they simply knew each other as long as they could recall.  On April 5, 1941, they were married in Clifton and thus began a wonderful marriage that would last sixty-four years!   They were like best friends and except for when Phil went to work, they were inseparable; going everywhere and doing everything together.  They were very close and loving.  Their vacations always included road trips, since Phil loved to drive so much, and they visited friends often in Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, and all over the place.  They even traveled to California once!  When Helen was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Phil took care of her himself, day in and day out.  He was devoted to her care and never left her side.  When she passed away in 2005, he was devastated and never truly recovered from his grief.  He has missed her dearly.

Phil is survived by one son; Paul Makus and his wife Jeanette of Wayne, grandchildren; Bryan Makus and his wife Jean of Pompton Lakes, Jennifer Bubenik and her husband Andrew of Balston Lake, NY, and six great-grandchildren; Amelia, Bryanne, Sophie, Helen, Sara, and Kaitlyn. He was predeceased by his wife Helen in 2005, and by his three brothers; Frank, Chester, and Walter.