MacTaggart, Philip A.

Philip A. Mac Taggart, 61, of Geneseo, Ill., formerly of North Liberty, died Wednesday, May 4, 2011, at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. Graveside services, with military honors, will be held at 11:30 a.m. today at St. Stanislaus Cemetery near Hills. Visitation will be from 9 until 11 a.m. today at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City.

Philip Andrew MacTaggart was born Feb. 16, 1950, in Trenton, N.J., the son of John and Kathleen (Altmaier) MacTaggart. He grew up in Iowa City. He graduated from Iowa City High School in 1968. He then went on to graduate from the University of Iowa, with a double major in Spanish and English literature. He then became a Fulbright scholar studying Guarani Oral Traditions in Paraguay followed by a master's in Spanish literature from Middlebury College. Phil obtained a Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa in 1984. Phil served over 20 years in the United States Navy, retiring from the U.S. Navy Reserves with the rank of commander. He practiced law in North Liberty and later served as a federal public defender in Del Rio, Texas. For the past seven years he has resided in Geneseo, Ill.

Philip MacTaggart was a writer, inventor, science enthusiast, world traveler and most importantly a father of four. He had a passion for the great outdoors and enjoyed the adventures that life had to offer.

His family includes his four children, John MacTaggart of North Liberty, Rigoberto MacTaggart of Maryland, Kathleen MacTaggart of Iowa City and Marilyn MacTaggart of Carbondale, Ill.; his fiancee, Rosa MacTaggart of North Liberty; mother, Kathleen MacTaggart of North Liberty; brother, Robert MacTaggart (Vicki) of Cedar Rapids; and sister, Sylvia Odgers (Barry) of Molalla, Ore.

He was preceded in death by his father, John MacTaggart.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web at www.gayandciha.com