Philipp Adam Kehr Jr., 80, of Salisbury, North Carolina, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at Liberty Lane Hospice at the W.G. Hefner VA Medical Center.
Phil was born Feb. 20, 1945, in Brooklyn, to the late Ruth Zurheide Kehr and Philipp Adam Kehr Sr. He earned degrees from the State University of New York at Delhi and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
He served his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam War and attained the rank of captain. He was a signal corps officer with responsibilities that included military broadcast operations, instruction at Fort Bragg, and command service in Vietnam. He was a member of the Military Officers Association of America.
Phil began his broadcasting career at WDLA in Walton. Following his military service, he returned to broadcasting, including many years at WSTP and WRDX in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he held leadership roles in operations, programming, and promotions.
Phil also broadcast local sports, including the Labor Day Four-Ball Invitational Golf Tournament, and at one time served as a sports announcer for Livingstone College. After retiring from radio, he worked at Cooperstown Dreams Park as camp director and emcee for the opening and closing ceremonies.
Phil was involved in civic life, serving on the Rowan County Fairgrounds committee, participating in the Salisbury Holiday Caravan Parade, and holding leadership roles with the March of Dimes, Salisbury Jaycees, and Salisbury Optimist Club.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Kehr.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 54 years, Karen DiSanza Kehr; son David Kehr (Paula) of Houston, Texas; daughter Alisa Marczewski (Scott) of Raleigh, North Carolina; brother Curtis Kehr (Janice) of Walton; sister Beverly Harrison of Walton; brother-in-law Victor DiSanza of Salisbury, North Carolina; sister-in-law Pat Chesser (Del) of Grovetown, Georgia; and grandchildren Emilia Kehr, Grady and Sylvie Marczewski, and nieces.
Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., Feb. 10, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, followed by a funeral Mass. Burial with military honors will follow in the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Disabled American Veterans (DAV), P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301, or Sacred Heart Catholic School, 375 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury, NC 28147.
Summersett Funeral Home is serving the Kehr family. Online condolences may be made at summersettfuneralhome.com
