Phil Liquori’s grandfather worked hard as a shoemaker to bring his wife and children from Italy to America. Phil was born in Fair Haven and his family has remained close.

“We’re a tight family,” says Phil, who now lives in North Haven. “On Sunday mornings, you’d go visit your mother and grandmother for church and meal—that’s the way it was. You have to keep the tradition going because it was good and it’s a different world today.”

When Rich DePalma, one of Phil’s cousins, traveled to Italy, he discovered many members of the Liquori family still living there with some in Phil’s grandparents’ home where Phil’s mother was born. His cousin encouraged Phil to see it firsthand.

“Richie traced our family background back to the 1600s, found our family’s home in Italy, and when he came back, he said, ‘You’ve got to go,’ so I went over and introduced myself,” says Phil. “They weren’t sure who we were and there was a language barrier, but we eventually figured it out and they took us over. They opened the drawers and there were pictures of my mother on her wedding day, pictures of me as a baby. It was very tear-jerking.”

Phil, who loves traveling and history, enjoyed exploring where his family came from and imagining what the area was like during World War II. He also loved the welcome he received at his family’s restaurant.

“They take siestas there, but once they found out who we were, they made a phone call, the restaurant opened up, and we ate together,” says Phil. “Everything from the pasta to the sauce was homemade. It was wonderful.”

One of Phil’s favorite ways to memorialize his travels is through painting. He started painting about 25 years ago. When he travels, he takes a lot of photos and relives his travels after he enlarges his prints, sketches them, and then paints the images. Phil, a self-taught painter, works mainly in oils and acrylics, though he has also experimented with watercolors.

Phil’s travels have brought him to many different places throughout the world, including Paris, England, Yugoslavia, and cruises to various destinations. Phil has also visited several apparition sites (places where the faithful have reported vision of the Virgin Mary) around the country and in Europe, including Rue du Bac in Paris. Medjugorje in Bosnia, noting that his faith is “very important” to him.

“I’ve done paintings of Paris and a small painting of a street in London—I love those buildings—as well as some of the apparition sites,” says Phil. “You get excited. The adrenaline starts to flow and you sketch it out.”

He has traveled to Italy more than a dozen times with his favorite destination being Italy’s Amalfi Coast. One of Phil’s goals is to rent a villa on the Amalfi Coast for a month. He plans to bring his sketches and paints to add to his growing collection of his work.

“The Amalfi Coast is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been,” says Phil. “When you look over the sea, it certainly is inspiring.”

Phil has sold some pieces, but he paints more for himself and as a hobby than with the goal of selling or showing his work. He keeps an album full of completed paintings and even has paintings stored under his bed.

While Phil often paints buildings and landscapes, he has also done a number of portraits for friends over the years. He also illustrated Lisa Burton’s children book, The EnergyWise Kids and Happy Heart Affirmations: A Child’s Guide to the Power of Positive Thinking.

“It’s a story of kids who come across a chest full of hearts and they have the idea to pass on the hearts to people who are unhappy,” says Phil. “When they get to the last heart, which is the biggest, it is given to the woman who had buried all the hearts. It’s a beautiful little story for kids. Working on that was quite a wonderful experience.”

Even though Phil says that traveling is the “greatest experience,” he also loves spending time in his hometown of North Haven. He starts each day with daily mass and coffee with friends at McDonald’s.

“Most mornings, I meet with the other senior citizens and we discuss world politics over coffee and solve all of the world’s problems,” says Phil, who worked for many years as an appliance repairman for Sears-Roebuck. “I love this community, my church, and my family.”

Phil has three sons and 13 grandchildren that he is “very proud of,” noting his grandkids’ careers, college choices, and sports accomplishments. His brother John is his best friend and Phil enjoys spending time with John and his family.

“My life has been one great experience,” says Phil. “I’ve had a full life. I consider myself the luckiest guy in the world. I just try to live a good life with my neighbors and treat everyone the best I can.”