Felipe (Phil) Cervantes, age 82, formerly of Oregon, passed away Thursday, October 22, 2026 at Hospice of Northwest Ohio. Phil was born in Toledo on December 28, 1943 to Eulogio and Maria (Alvarado) Cervantes, both of Michoacan, Mexico. The extended Alvarado family had settled in East Toledo, where Phil attended St. Thomas Aquinas school and Waite High School where he graduated in 1962. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1964 where he served aboard the carrier USS Intrepid. Recently, he was invited to share his memories and recollected in vivid details his experiences on board for the archives of The Intrepid Museum in New York City. Following his military service, he enrolled at the University of Toledo where he earned his degree, married Judith Rideout of Oregon, and joined the Toledo Police Department, where he served a short tenure before transferring to the Toledo Fire Department in 1973, becoming the first Hispanic serviceman in the department's history. Phil loved his career in the TFD and served valiantly as a firefighter, paramedic, and eventual lieutenant. Outside of department hours, he and Judy resided in Oregon where they raised children Andrea and Rick. Following Judy's passing, Phil married Mary Ann Quilter Flannagan with whom he continued to share his life in Oregon until the couple moved to Perrysburg in 2026.

Phil was a lifelong auto enthusiast whose love of cars and history of working on them even predated his first driver's license. The 1954 Buick Special convertible he restored to national prizewinning condition remained his pride and joy. Upon moving to Perrysburg, even in the last year of his life, Phil and Mary Ann were fixtures at the weekly Perrysburg car show where they enjoyed the company of fellow car enthusiast friends. Phil was also an avid traveler. He delighted in touring the world as a sailor and later treating his family to annual trips that included Mexico, Alaska, Europe, Hawaii, Australia, and South America as destinations among many others. Summers each featured a retreat to the family cottage on tranquil Manitoulin Island in Ontario.

Phil's generosity, gregariousness, and formidable presence earned him the admiration of many. Neighbors, relatives, and coworkers alike sought Phil's guidance, which was always given freely. He was loved and will be missed. Phil was preceded in death by his parents, several uncles and aunts with whom he was raised, his elder brother Ricardo (Richard) Cervantes, son-in-law Miles Buckley, and his wife Judith. He is survived by his uncle and mentor David Alvarado; wife Mary Ann; daughter Andrea Buckley and son Richard (Alice) Cervantes; grandsons Jake Buckley and Marco Cervantes; brother-in-law Bernie (Michelle) Quilter; stepchildren Thomas (Julie) Flannagan, Anna Marie (Kevin) Whalen, and Colleen (Jason) Pope; and ten step-grandchildren. He leaves many more beloved relatives and friends.

The family will greet friends at Eggleston Meinert & Pavley Funeral Home, Oregon Chapel, 440 S. Coy Rd., Oregon, Ohio 43616 on Friday, October 30, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. with "Last Alarm" services at 7:00 p.m, to show his dedication to being a Fire Fighter. The family will also greet friends on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at, Epiphany of the Lord Parish-St. Thomas Aquinas from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11:00 a.m.