In loving memory of Philip Gerard Tardif
September 18, 1956 – June 15, 2026

Philip Gerard Tardif, 69, of Saint Simons Island, GA, passed away on June 15, 2026, surrounded by his sister, Ginette; brother-in-law, Dan; and lifelong childhood friend, Jim Peterson, at the Hospice House of the Golden Isles in Brunswick, GA, after a short illness. Phil had been a longtime resident of Atlanta, GA, until 2016.

Philip (known to many as Phil) was born on September 18, 1956, in Paris, France, to Joseph Raymond and Shirley Arlene (Dunahoo) Tardif. He married Cynthia Costa in November 1994; the marriage ended in divorce in 1998. Ms. Costa Tardif died in February 2019.

Phil graduated from Wheaton High School in Wheaton, MD, in 1974. He attended Ohio University in Athens, OH, for a year before transferring to The American University in Washington, DC, where he earned his BA in Communications/Journalism in 1978. While there, he played club lacrosse and coached recreational soccer for girls in grades 9–10.

Raised in a military family, the Tardifs moved often, with assignments in France (twice), New Hampshire, the Netherlands, and finally Washington, DC. While living in Hanover, NH, Phil loved attending Dartmouth University sporting events and the school's infamous bonfires, and his bicycle carried him on countless adventures around town. During the family's years overseas, they traveled and camped throughout Europe, and Phil soaked up all the history and culture along the way. Phil was fairly fluent in French at one time. He and his siblings attended the Fontainebleau, France American Schools, and then the AFCENT International School in Brunssum, Netherlands, a school for NATO personnel and international families. He loved decorating his bike for the Fourth of July celebrations on base, was an avid bowler even at a young age, and was fortunate enough to attend the Beatles concert in Paris in June 1965.

Once the family settled in Washington, DC, Phil threw himself into everything: playing trumpet and drums in his school bands, competing in youth sports, attending sporting and cultural events, writing for his high school newspaper, running long distance track with friends, working at Rosecroft Raceway, covering local sports for the Montgomery County Sentinel, playing high school soccer, cruising around in his 1964 blue Plymouth Valiant, going to concerts, wandering the streets of Georgetown and hosting parties at the family home. He remained a devoted fan of all Washington, DC sports teams for the rest of his life.

While living in Atlanta, Phil was deeply involved in his community. He performed with the improv comedy group, Laughing Matters, and served for years as a parade judge for the Inman Park community parade, among many other pursuits. He attended the opening of the Jimmy Carter Center in 1986. He loved meeting up with friends, fellow journalists, and political figures at the famed Manuel's Tavern, along with attending musical, sporting, and cultural events around the city.

Phil's career was as varied as it was interesting. His first job was selling baseball souvenirs at JFK Stadium in Washington, DC. He went on to work as a sports journalist and writer for the Montgomery County (MD) Sentinel and the Washington Post. Along the way, he served as Information Specialist for Yates Field House at the Georgetown University Athletic Department, and as a writer and editor for SAIF Corporation, a workers' compensation insurance carrier in Salem, OR. He even had a story published in Reader's Digest magazine.

Perhaps Phil's proudest professional chapter was his many years as a Vice President/Group Manager at Cohn & Wolfe Public Relations and Communications Agency in Atlanta. There, he managed notable accounts including the Coca-Cola Company and Hanes, and traveled to Olympic and FIFA World Cup events around the world as a public relations and communications representative — even carrying the Olympic torch in Torino, Italy. Through this work, he met and collaborated with celebrities including Jerry Garcia, Bruce Jenner, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Jamie Lee Curtis, among many others on many PR projects. He also lent his exceptional writing and editing skills to Butin PR, Wallace Design Co., HomeTrust Bank, Dowling Langley & Associates, Clarion Marketing & Communications, Matlock & Associates Advertising/PR, Ellen Communications, GCI Public Relations, Edelman PR, Weltner Communications, OMO Productions, and many more.

Phil loved the beach, traveling, drawing, mentoring young professionals, and attending musical, cultural, and sporting events — he could recall nearly every statistic from multiple sports, dates included. He cherished time with friends and family (he especially liked being an uncle), took pride in being the family historian, and enjoyed collecting souvenirs and memorabilia. He was a thoughtful and generous gift-giver, always finding the most unique and fitting gifts for those he cared about. A true foodie and excellent cook, he delighted in international cuisine of all kinds.

Phil is remembered for his sharp sense of humor and quick, wry wit; his superlative writing and copy-editing skills; his kindness and generosity; his fierce loyalty to those he loved; his creativity, whether devising an innovative PR campaign or planning a friend's birthday party; his habit of sending annual birthday and holiday cards to friends and family near and far; his remarkable memory and attention to detail; his sensitivity; his gift for interesting conversation; his quiet yet strong personality; and his sense of adventure — he once ran with the bulls in Spain. Phil was the kind of person who lifted others up while quietly stepping back so others could shine. Over the years, he answered to a long list of nicknames: Rubio, Flip, The Sultan, Fruit Cup, Spidey, Max, Uncle Cheesecake, Felipe, and Philip.

Philip is survived by his sister, Ginette (Daniel) Evans, of Bluffton, SC; his niece, Amber (Matthew) Constable, of Mont Vernon, NH; his nephews, Taylor Evans of Bluffton, SC, and Neil Cantor II of Miami Shores, FL; his grandnieces, Natalie and Jade Constable, of Mont Vernon, NH; his stepmother, Claudette Tardif, of Ellenton, FL; his stepsister, Jennifer (Jim) Pfeiffer, of Ellenton, FL; his stepbrother, Gary Bergeron, of North Port, FL; his step-niece, Natalie (Chad) Stockton, of Colorado Springs, CO; his step-nephew, Zackary Pfeiffer, of Ellenton, FL; his grand-step-nephew, Waylon Stockton, of Colorado Springs, CO; and several loving cousins and many friends around the world.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Shirley Tardif; his father, Raymond Tardif; his brother, Roger Tardif; and his sister, Diane Tardif Cantor, and her husband, Neil.

Philip's ashes will be interred alongside his mother and brother, Roger, at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, MD, at a time of his sister's choosing. Memorial services will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Golden Isles in Brunswick, GA, the American Lung Association, or a charity of your choice.

"Always take the scenic route."

— Philip G. Tardif