Philip W. Carlson

Philip "Phil" Carlson 77, a lifelong resident of Brockton, retired police officer, and decorated Army veteran, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2026, at the Blueberry Hill Rehabilitation Center in Beverly.

Born in Brockton in 1948, Phil was the second of four children born to the late Walter S. (ret., Brockton Police Sergeant) and Joanne R. Carlson. He graduated from Brockton High School and worked for G. Arthur Moberg & Son Inc.

Phil enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1968, serving with honor in the Vietnam War as an armor reconnaissance specialist with the 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment (Mechanized). During his combat service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and two Overseas Service Bars.

Following in the career path of his father and brother, Phil launched his law enforcement career as a police officer with the Randolph Police Department. In 1975, he joined the Brockton Police Department and served for twenty-seven years before retiring.

Phil was an avid sports fan and particularly loved boxing. In his younger years, he regularly played basketball at the YMCA and roller-skated through D.W. Field Park. He enjoyed being an uncle to his nieces and provided them with many adventures when they visited Brockton from New Hampshire. For several years at Christmas, he dressed up as Santa to surprise the neighbor’s children.

Phil had resided at the Blueberry Hill Rehabilitation Center since 2020. While his wish was always to return home to Brockton, he formed a genuine bond with his care team. His family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Blueberry Hill for their compassionate care and support.

Like many Vietnam veterans, Phil carried the invisible wounds of combat during an era when PTSD went unspoken. The lifetime cumulative impact affected his health, personal relationships, and quality of life. To honor those who answer the call in the military, as first responders, or, as Phil did, both, please consider a gift to organizations actively supporting those who protect us, such as Camp Resilience in New Hampshire or the Travis Mills Foundation in Maine.

Phil was predeceased by his parents, Walter and Joanne, and his brother, Keith.

He is survived by his sisters, Brenda J. Carlson and Joanne D. (Carlson) Haight and her husband, Randall, and nieces: Emilie M. Walsh and her husband, Ryan (a Boston Police Officer), and Alison M. Haight, who continues the family's legacy of military service in the U.S. Air Force.

Phil's committal service and interment with military honors will be held at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 12:45 pm. In honor of his service to the City of Brockton, Phil will be escorted to his final resting place by the Brockton Police Department’s Honor Guard.