Although I didn't have him as a teacher I had Kristen in a few classes and knew all them as a neighbor at the Webster Lake house. 

God bless the family!

Bart Garver

Our thoughts are with you and the family. Dan was a senior when he had Phil for math at Middletown. To this day he says Phil was an outstanding and the best math teacher. May wonderful memories help comfort you at this time.

Mary and Dan Watkins

Yorktown Teachers

My thoughts and prayers of  comfort to the Kammerer family. 

I had Mr. Kammerer for both math and drivers ED. What a great man and teacher. Had a great passion for teaching and it showed in how he instructed his students with a calm demeanor in helping his students to understand a problem in math. 

What can I say about Mr. Kammerer to convey the affection and respect I’m not sure he ever knew I had for him?  Wandering into the nest of teenage jackasses who inhabited Yorktown High School every day in the mid-90s required a dedication and commitment to education I still can’t fully wrap my head around.  I’m not sure people truly appreciated Mr. Kammerer’s patience, but to me, it was legendary.  My favorite Mr. Kammerer memory, though, was the day that patience ran out.  I remember it like it was yesterday.

Now, I’m not going mention this person by name, but if she remembers this story I’m about to tell, I want her to know that not only is this my fondest memory of Mr. Kammerer, it’s my fondest memory of her.  If you were a student of Mr. Kammerer’s, you undoubtedly have vivid memories of him standing at the board, back to the class, scribbling out equations in his chalk-dusted polyester pants.

Picture it… Yorktown High School, 1993… Mr. Kammerer’s classroom:

As usual, Mr. Kammerer was at the board, doing all “the maths” that some of us understood, while the rest of us sat silent pretending to.  That is, except for one.  Now, if you were in this class, you may remember one of us had… questions.  She had questions about everything.  And when she got her questions answered, she’d have more questions about the answers to her previous questions.  I’m not going to say you could see Mr. Kammerer’s soul slowly drain from his body every time he turned to see her hand raised, but I’m not going to say you couldn’t.  One day he just couldn’t take any more.

He turned around, saw her hand raised for approximately the 9,847,283rd time, and he just had to get away.  He put down the stick of chalk he was holding, turned toward the door, paused for moment, then slowly began to just meander out of his own classroom, shoulders hunched in profound resignation.  I can still hear her voice echo in my memory, “Mr. Kammerer… Mr. Kammerer," as he got closer and closer to the door, her hand still waving high in the air, "Mr. Kammerer, wait… please… Mr. Kammerer, I just…” then the sound of the door closing behind him.  We looked out the windows into the parking lot where we knew he always parked and watched as he leaned on the trunk lid of his car, lit a cigarette, took a deep inhale, and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, as if he was purging a lifetime of frustration and existential regret.

It was fantastic.  And hilarious.  I have a lot of incredibly fond memories of high school, but only a select few teachers play integral roles in my YHS retrospective.  Mr. Kammerer is one of them.

You spent your days surrounded by a bunch of angsty Gen X teenagers and you never ran over any of us with your car, even when you saw us wandering around your neighborhood and you could have fender-checked us into a mailbox.  You’re a saint, as far as I’m concerned.  Rest in peace, Mr. Kammerer.  You’ve earned it.  

To the Kammerer Family:  Phil holds a special place in our hearts. He has touched so many students throughout the years. He was a gift to Yorktown High School! Our children still speak of him with great affection. I’m so sorry for your loss. 

Sending my love & prayers,  Shirley Hochstetler and Family

I’m so sorry to hear this news.  Mrs. Kammerer set the bar high for every teacher after I had her.  She inspired me to be my best self, best cursive writer and to learn to write with both hands.  Once I left elementary school I excelled in math and was able to meet the ever famous Phil in High School.  Like his lovely wife he was honest, helpful, stern if needed and pushed you to be your best.  I know we had a moment  in drivers ed that was likely a teaching example used in years to follow and I may laugh now, but I wanted to hide that day.  The only other time I recall seeing disappointment was when I withdrew from calculus class after missing. 4 days due to illness and I was not able to catch up and keep up with the new.  I know he tried everything to help but it wasn’t clicking and I wasn’t about to fail a class.  I appreciated EVERYTHING they both taught me and want to say Thank You for your guidance, kindness and support.

We use to say in the class or the car—time for Phil’s break and laugh.  There was a look or the tone that gave it away.  Really it was awesome that he always gave us 1/2 the class time to do homework ask questions etc( he knew most parents would be lost much like I am now with this new math) & in the car I think he needed out when certain people were driving….hoping they could both breathe relax and try again.  Phil this is your final break, time to relax, be healed and watch over your wife and kids until you meet again.

You were truly 1 of a kind!

Hugs and prayers to your wife &  family.