Philip P. “Grumpy” Soulé Sr. “Grumpy”, age 83 of Wilmington, passed away on March 16, 2026.
Soulé was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, to Melvin Soulé and Phyllis Emerson. He grew up on Bigelow Street attending Sacred Heart School in Weymouth, and spent many summers on a farm in Wiscasset, Maine. A devout Catholic, Soulé graduated from Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts. After completing his studies, Soulé attended the Seminary’s summer camp on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, where he fell in love with Jane Longley, the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and made the life-changing decision to follow his heart.
Soulé was commissioned in the United States Army in 1967, then headed south to complete Officer Candidate School. He fulfilled his promise to return to New England to marry Jane, and on January 20, 1968, they were married at Saint Matthew’s Church in Plymouth, New Hampshire, just before Phil was deployed to Vietnam. He proudly served his country. Phil and Jane settled in Franklin, New Hampshire and raised an ever-growing family. He turned his military service into a lifelong career in public service. In addition to working in social services for the State of New Hampshire for more than twenty years, Phil Soulé served on the Franklin City Council and volunteered at the Veteran’s Memorial Ski Area, school sports boosters club, and on the Parish Council of Saint Paul’s Church. During this time, he also earned his Master’s Degree in education from the University of New Hampshire.
Lieutenant Colonel Soulé continued to serve proudly in the 94th Training Division of the Army Reserves, spending many weeks each summer away from his family in order to train the next generation of service members. At home, “Good Old Dad” (G.O.D.) attended numerous baseball, softball, football, gymnastics, and cheerleading events as well as plays, science fairs, and talent shows. The family adopted numerous pets - dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, and mice – and their home was often filled with scouts, movie nights, sleepovers, birthday parties, and holiday celebrations. Good Old Dad taught his family the importance of education, honesty, service, generosity and compassion.
The family moved to Wilmington, Delaware in 1992, where Phil served as the Medicaid Director for Delaware Health and Social Services for over twelve years. He volunteered on the Mount Pleasant High School Band Boosters and proudly attended many concerts and marching band competitions. Phil and Jane served as Eucharistic Ministers at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Before retiring, Phil taught classes on healthcare ethics at the Delaware Technical Community College.
Grumpy loved his family, pets, church, and country. He enjoyed reading, teaching, traveling, museums, apple picking, beach trips, moving his children into and out of college dorms (collecting college stickers for the rear van window), whole-belly clams, grilling, day trips, mowing his lawn, and big bowls of ice cream. On Sundays after church, he could be found reading the newspaper outdoors in the sun, while sporting his Red Sox T-shirt and Vietnam veteran baseball hat. He was a soldier, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a beloved role model.
His family was his pride and joy. He devoted his life to his wife of 58 years, Jane; his children, Philip Jr., Celeste, Veronica, Estelle, Stephen and Thaddeus; their spouses; his nine grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and relatives.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church. Interment will be private.
