In Loving Memory of Gerald Thomas "Phineas" Lamia

Gerald Thomas Lamia (“Phineas”), 77, passed away at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital on June 1, 2022. Born in Rockford, Illinois on Friday the Thirteenth in April of 1945, he lived a peaceful life in harmony with nature guided by his philosophy that “we need to use what Mother Nature gave us before Father Time takes it back.” 

His passions for motorcycle riding, reenactments with the Real Bird Family at the Little Big Horn River, mountain climbing in Colorado, live music in Texas (especially Willie Nelson), golfing, and quality time with friends and family remind us that “quality of life is not what you have, it’s how you live it.” 

As a Vietnam Veteran (Navy), he loved the VA and felt safe at their hospital in Madison, where he spent his last, courageous days sharing pure love with his daughter and her boyfriend Scott Moran. Phineas says that “love is not a feeling; love is giving ‘spiritual growth’ to someone else.” Phineas Magic, the Power of Positive Thinking, and the Silver Dollar Club are his greatest gifts to us, and we all have a special bond that can never be broken. He says that “it takes a big man to realize the value of such a small coin,” and our silver dollars will forever serve as reminders of the importance - and the power - of positive thinking. His incredible love, words of wisdom, and grace have forever changed us all for the better. 

He will be deeply missed by his daughter Tonya Lamia; mother Antoinette (Donze) Lamia; siblings Kathleen Sundberg and Tony Lamia Jr; nephew Terrance (Eileen) Chostner; nephew/godson Thomas (Louella) Chostner; great nieces Shelby and Maya Chostner; great nephew Stephen Chostner; close family Susan (Randy) Athens, Mary and Lisa and “Peggy” and Parry Donze, Michela (Ken) Terrazino, Lucille and Lauren Turner, and Paul Wisneski; and many close friends including Jim “JD” Dorfsmith, John and Cindy Ross, “Uncle Bill” and James Pausteck, Tom “Big T” Weckstrom, Perry Salvadorini, Nic Orman, Tom “Tominator” and Donna Fuller, Larry Grinnell, Neil Carlson, Larry Kiss, Steve (Carissa) Johnson, Brad Fosberg, Mark Kegel, John and Kathy Moscato, Joe and Corey Clay, Carmen Augelli, and Velta Pocs. He felt great love for “Little Cindy,” and he was forever grateful to John and Diane Elliott for being extraordinary parents to his daughter. He is predeceased by his close friends Hank Clay, Roger Uliano, Jeff Larson, and “Fox;” his father Tony; his aunts and uncles; and his cousins Mike Postulka, Joseph Terrazino, and Michael Donze. 

Phineas will be set free at his final resting place, “The Valley of Spiritual Growth” in Colorado. Until then, family and friends are invited to attend a visitation starting at 2:00 PM on Friday, June 10, 2022 followed by a Celebration of Life service starting at 4:00 PM at Fitzgerald Funeral Home located at 1860 S. Mulford Road in Rockford, Illinois. 

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested at PhineasMagic.com in support of Guitars 4 Vets to help share the healing power of music with veterans.