Phillip Edward Goerl, 80, of Anaheim and Idyllwild, died peacefully Tuesday, March 20, 2007 in Anaheim.

He joins his beloved wife, Dorothy, who passed away in 1996.

Mr. Goerl was born April 19, 1926, and grew up in San Francisco. He served in the U.S. Air Force; attended college in Santa Rosa and at the University of California, Berkeley; and worked for the State of California Employment Development Department for 31 years in both northern and southern California.

Phil and Dorothy settled in Southern California in the late 1960s where they built lifelong friendships and connections to their community through kindness and generosity.

Mr. Goerl donated his time as a docent at the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana for the past 20 years; pursued countless hobbies and artistic endeavors; was a dedicated patron of musical theater; and continued to study at both Idyllwild Arts and Santiago Canyon College throughout his life.

He will always be remembered as a kind, gentle, happy and generous person, and will continue to be an inspiration to those who knew him.

Idyllwild always held a special place in the Goerls’ hearts.

A memorial is scheduled from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 20, at the Bowers Museum, Kershaw Auditorium, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana.

Mr. Goerl is survived by a brother, Herman (Betty) Goerl; two nephews, Steven (Robin) Goerl and Phillip Goerl; and a great-nephew, Max Goerl.

Donations in his honor may be made to the Bowers Museum Docent Guild, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706, or City of Hope, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010.