Philip Eli “Yankee” Mortimer, 86, of Orange, Texas, passed away on May 23, 2016.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 26, 2016, at North Orange Baptist Church in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend Lynn Ashcraft. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 20, 1930, he was the son of George M. Cook and Ann K. (Halpin) Cook. He was a very active member of North Orange Baptist Church. He served honorably in the United States Air Force as a Staff Sargent during the Korean War. He also served in the Air Force National Guard. Philip was the president of the Orange Youth Girls Softball Organization. He graduated from Stark High School in 1948 and attended the University of Texas in Austin. He worked for Firestone for 37 years. Philip was a loving husband who served his God, his family, his friends, and his country.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother, Robert Mortimer.

He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Peggy Joyce Mortimer; children, George T. Mortimer and wife Lola, of Orange, Mark A. Mortimer and wife Dana, of Bridge City, and Sherri D. Whatley and husband Mike, of Littleton, Colorado; grandchildren, Heather Locaino, Ashley Fountain, Philip Mortimer, Travis Whatley, and Meredith Whatley; great-grandchildren, Rook Fountain, Lincoln Fountain, and Macy Locaino; and his sisters, Doris M. Wood, of Bridge City and Joan Gunn and husband Thomas, of Orange.

Serving as pallbearers will be Philip Mortimer, Derek Fountain, Jacob Locaino, Travis Whatley, Mike O’Quinn, and Lionel Vandergriff. Honorary pallbearers are Rook Fountain and Lincoln Fountain.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to Shriners Hospital for Children at 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.