David Roland Sanfilippo's Obituary
David R. Sanfilippo passed away on December 4, 2023 at the age of 62. He was born in Orlando, FL but moved early in life to Huntsville, AL. Although later in childhood he moved north to Kansas, he always considered Huntsville home. David spent his life bringing light into the lives of everyone he touched, and he was quite a storyteller. His parents, Jerry Phillips and Anne Fanning Phillips, preceded him in death.
David was the original MacGyver, and would try to fix anything that was broken. Sometimes they stayed fixed, although his sister Dawn’s long-suffering front door gave him fits. He learned many of his skills as he pursued certificates in heating, cooling, and pool maintenance but his best teacher was his grandfather Daddy R. After graduation from Olathe North High School, David moved to Huntsville to live and work with Daddy R. and Momma Lola. They were quite a team! Momma Lola and David would hit multiple garage sales, searching for small broken appliances. David and Daddy R.’s skills brought them to life, where they would be sold at the nearby Flea Market.
David is missed by Kelle, his loving wife of seventeen years. They were married on the beach in Florida, and their love was clear to anyone who knew them. He is remembered as a loving husband who was funny, kind and willing to help anyone and who loved the Alabama Football Team. Roll Tide! David is survived by his son, Nicholas Phillips, sisters Terry Dee Sanfilippo and D. Dawn Phillips, nephews Salem Sanfilippo Solindas and Javid Hamilton, and extended family members and friends. They will remember David as a joker, a huge Kansas City Chiefs fan, and a man who always had a smile on his face.
David’s sisters have fond memories performing together on their Elvendrums’ song Shadows. As kids, they were forever experimenting with sound effects, though their parents had only so much patience for three hyper creative kids. Dee and Dawn want you to celebrate what a caretaker David was – always there with bandages or a clean washcloth when you fell off the swing or flew over the handlebars of your minibike. Their childhood was fireworks, minibikes, camping, gardening, Dobermans, KC Royals games, The Three Stooges, Halloween, the Chanukah Bush every season, music, and Momma Lola’s banana pudding.
David embraced Kelle’s family as his own; mom Barbara Hamilton, sisters Libbe Hamilton and Michelle Hamilton-Fox, and brother Chris Hamilton. He will forever remain in their hearts.
David’s family was devastated by the Leukemia that hit David hard and rushed him through the last two months of his life. David was raised Southern Baptist and his faith helped him as he braved chemotherapy twice and all that came with it. They will remember David as optimistic, opinionated, clever with tools, protective of those he loved, polite, and playful.
Keeping with David’s wishes, cremation will take place and a celebration of David’s life will be held at a later time. To honor his love for animals, please consider a donation to an animal rescue of your choice.
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