Philip Barton Treon, age 76 most beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, died August 24th from heart failure at his home in Las Cruces, NM. Phil was born in Long Beach, CA, the oldest son of Harold and Marguerite Treon, who, along with Phil’s brother Mark, preceded him in death. After spending his youth in the South Pacific as the son of a naval pilot, Phil and his family settled in Las Cruces where he attended Las Cruces High School as a senior graduating in 1966. He received his BA and MA from New Mexico State University and did post-graduate work in creative writing at the University of Arkansas. Phil taught for over 30 years in the NMSU English department until he retired in 2015. He enjoyed shaping young peoples minds, and, in addition to teaching most of the writing classes in the curriculum, he brought his love of adventure to the classroom by developing an original and very popular course in Survival Literature. Phil’s students recognized his genuine commitment to their success. During his teaching career and after he retired, he encountered many students who were always happy to see him and told him how much they learned from him. Phil was kind, intelligent, funny, generous and thoughtful. He left an indelible impression on everyone he met, whether a new acquaintance or a friend of many decades. Phil’s life was committed to having adventures with friends and family. Growing up as a military kid, Phil was surrounded by numerous bodies of water and his love for the sea lasted throughout his life. He was an all around adventurer of the water; diving, sailing, kayaking or just swimming were his passions. Phil also loved to camp and hike, especially with his wife Janet in the wild NM mountains. When he wasn’t engaging in adventures, those experiences found passionate and almost daily creative expression in his novels and stories. Phil is survived by his wife Janet Treon, his daughter Tasha Westenhofer and his son Travis Treon; 5 grandchildren; and a brother, Robert Treon. A “Remembrance / Celebration of Life” will take place at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum on November 2nd, 2024 at 1:30 pm. November 2nd is “Day of the Dead” and there will be an altar to honor Phil. Feel free to bring a memento, food or other favorite item you associate with his memory. For online condolences and memories please logon to bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com.
Funeral arragements: A Remembrance/Celebration of Life will take place at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum on November 2, 2024 at 1:30pm.
Birth info: July 12th, Long Beach California…