Phillip E. Zachary, 87, of Crawfordsville, passed away Sunday at Franciscan Health.

Born April 18, 1932 in Crawfordsville, he was the son of Cecil E. Zachary and Mildred Ionne Hampton Zachary.  He graduated from Crawfordsville High School in 1950 and attended Purdue.  He served in the Indiana National Guard from 1948-1956.  He married Blanche "Billie" Freeman in Elkhart Feb. 28, 1952.  She passed away in 1994.  He married Elizabeth Brown Swank April 10, 2005 in Kirklin.  She survives.

Phil spent 15 years as construction engineer and cost estimator for a construction company in Fort Wayne.  He worked on many projects, like the bridges on I-495 around Washington, D.C., the Maine Ave. seawall for the Potomac River, and a high level bridge across the Potomac.  He went to work as engineer and prep manager for a company in Michigan, working on I-69 and I-90 in Michigan and concrete manager on Michigan International Speedway.  From there he went to Texas, where he was underground drainage manager for construction of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport.  After that, he was at Midland Ross in Ohio as an estimator on steel mills.  This work took him to North Carolina and he purchased a semi-tractor to be an operator/owner for Mayflower, later leaving as an independent trucker.  After retiring at 65, he started a business as escort with pilot cars for oversize loads, covering all the U.S. and Canada.  He retired for the last time at 78.

Surviving family includes: wife, Elizabeth Zachary of Crawfordsville; daughter, Shelley Igney of LaOtto, Indiana; step-daughter, Tammy Plank (Brad); step-son, Gregory Whipple (Jennifer Rife); grandson, James Wilberg; granddaughter, Jennifer Wilberg Harmon; great-grandson, Jaxon Harmon; six step-grandchildren, Robert Redmon, Amber McLaughlin, Jessica Plank, Kelly Plank, Richard Whipple, Renee Pirtle; 6 step-great-grandchildren.

In addition to his first wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Julie Wilberg.

Visitation will be from 11 AM to 1 PM Friday at Burkhart Funeral Home.  Services will begin at 1 PM, followed by burial at the Linden Cemetery.

Phil was a member of Whitesville Christian Church and the family requests donations in his memory to the church, 3603 S. Ladoga Road, Crawfordsville, IN 47933.  Online condolences may be made at www.BurkhartFH.com.