June 13, 2024 – West Bend, WI – Philip J Hway passed away on May 20, 2024, at the Cottages at Cedar Run after a challenging battle with Renal Cancer.
He was born in 1946 in Berwyn, IL, and graduated from Maine West High School in Des Plaines, IL and Harvard College in Cambridge, MA.
He joined ROTC at Harvard and after graduation entered the Air Force in procurement at Wright Patterson Air Force base in Dayton Ohio.
With the Vietnam War winding down, after two years of active duty he was offered the opportunity to complete his commitment in the Reserves. He retired after 25 years as a Lieutenant Colonel.
After leaving active duty he entered Harvard Business School, class of 1970, where he earned his MBA. This began a long and successful career in strategy, marketing and international business with Motorola, Verbatim, and Eastman Kodak.
He returned to the Midwest to support his wife in running her family business, Pick Heaters, Inc in West Bend, WI.
Phil loved playing, performing and teaching the piano, especially jazz improv and Gershwin. He had his keyboard with him to the very end. His passions were the Boy Scouts, camping and canoeing in the Boundary Waters with his nephews, and his dogs and horses.
Phil took up polo later in life and played in Milwaukee as well as Naperville and Oak Brook, IL. His ponies were his partners and numbered more than 20 over his playing career.
Phil was preceded in death by his parents Lydia (Gjada) and Joseph Hway. He is survived by his wife of 47 years Prudence (Pick) Hway, a sister Carole (Jim) Carter, a brother Jeffery (Donna) Hway and two sons Derek and Ben Pieper.
He led a good life and is now at the rainbow bridge with his beloved four-legged friends and organizing a scrimmage this afternoon.
There will be a celebration of his life and an opportunity to tell “Phil Hway Stories” on June 13, 2024, at the West Bend Country Club from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers scholarship donations in his name to WB Columns, PO Box 397, West Bend 53095 would be greatly appreciated.
The Schmidt Funeral Home of West Bend is serving the family. Messages for the family may be left in an online guestbook at www.schmidtfuneralhome.com.
