Longtime Estacada resident, Philip van Houte died on Saturday, June 6, 2020. He was 78. A celebration of life will be held 2:00pm, Saturday June 20, 2020 at Peace Lutheran Church. Private graveside service will be at George Pioneer Cemetery. Philip van Houte was born July 4, 1941 in Pownal, Maine. As a teenager, his family moved to California where he graduated from high school. For a time, he owned and operated an antique and lighting shop. He spent much of his working career managing retail stores and ultimately retired from Stanley Tool in 2008. He moved to Milwaukie in 1984 and later moved to the George area until moving closer to Estacada. Philip enjoyed photography, animals and being outdoors. He was an avid writer, writing over 6,000 poems. Survivors include his brother Paul van Houte, several nieces and nephews, and great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother Sam.