Philip Eugene Glidden, 83, of Columbia, S.C., died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011 at Bridgton Hospital in Bridgton, after suffering a series of strokes.

He was born to Una and Jerry Glidden on July 14, 1928 in Presque Isle, Maine. The son of potato farmers, Philip attended Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and went on to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, his father’s alma mater, where he graduated in 1951 with a degree in biology, minoring in German. His interest in German stemmed from his experiences visiting Germany in the aftermath of World War II.

He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in geology from Boston University in 1957, and spent three years exploring new mineral localities in Montana while working as a geologist for Noranda Mines Ltd., out of Toronto, Canada.

Phil married Joanna Lenneman in 1960, and they settled in New York, where Phil was an instructor of physics and geology at Briarcliff College, Briarcliff Manor, for four years, then a science teacher at Somers High School, Somers, N.Y. for another four years. He encouraged his wife’s career as an opera singer in Vienna, Austria. Phil and Joanna had two girls, Madeline and Catherine.

During his teaching career, Phil became interested in selling real estate, and pursued this career full-time in New York State after leaving teaching in 1967. After Phil and Joanna divorced, he married Courtnea Smith in 1978 and they lived with both of their children in North Salem, N.Y. until their divorce.

After working 22 years as a self-employed real estate broker and contractor, he retired and turned his attention to writing. He wrote both fiction and nonfiction, published a scholarly book in 1999, and wrote publications under his publishing company, Piscary Press.

Phil always was an activist for causes he believed in, and often wrote let-ters to the editor to local newspapers and his Congressional representatives. Once, when living in Orlando, Fla., he called attention to the plight of turtles that were being displaced by construction activity near his home, and was able to get the activity stopped. While living in Florida, he was an active member of Earth First!

He was also an avid cyclist who regularly went on 50–100 mile bicycling touring trips well into his 70s. As recently as two years before his passing, he rode his bicycle 10 miles one-way to work out at Gold’s Gym three times a week. Eight years ago he was in such good physical shape that he was able to construct his own home on Deer Hill Road in Harrison.

The love of Phil’s life was his two daughters, and he was extremely proud of both of them and their professional careers.

Phil is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Peg Geraghty. He is survived by his daughters, Madeline, of Washington, D.C., and Catherine, of Middleton, Md.; two stepchildren, James and Debra Smith, of North Salem, N.Y.; and two nieces, Laurie Ellis of Otisfield and Gail Geraghty of Norway. Laurie and Gail both took care of Phil in the final months of his life.

Arrangements will be announced by his daughters at a later date, and final interment will be in Fairmount Cemetery in Presque Isle.