At its November Awards meeting the Abigail Phelps Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented the Veteran Volunteer Award to Leesa Philippon of West Granby in recognition of her distinguished military service to our country, outstanding citizenship, and community service. Debra Payne, Chapter Service to Veterans Chair, presented the award.
Philippon is the daughter of a U.S. Army soldier who fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. For his sacrifices, he was awarded a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars with Valor. Inspired by her father’s military service and the military service of her three older siblings, she served in the Army as a French Linguist/Electronic Voice Interceptor. She met her husband, Sgt. Ray Philippon, while stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. They have been married 41 years and are parents to LCpl. Lawrence Philippon, Emilee Pescatore and LCpl. Bryan Philippon.
On May 8, 2005, Mother’s Day and their 24th wedding anniversary, their son, Larry Philippon, a Conard High School graduate, age 22, was killed in Iraq serving with the United States Marines.
Philippon has worked with the Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs at the Sgt. John Levitow Healthcare Center in Rocky Hill, caring for veterans, and at the Connecticut Department of Emergency Service and Public Protection.
In 2021, she retired as the program coordinator for Resilience Grows Here, a veteran initiative of the Farmington Valley Health District.
Volunteering to enrich the lives of our military members, veterans and families has been a blessing in her own life. She has helped to support the Connecticut Department of Affairs Stand Down event; she helped to bring the Wall of Remembrance to West Hartford in 2016, and she has volunteered to speak and pray at a variety of veteran, military and Gold Star Family events. In her retirement, she continues to help veterans and families find supportive resources.
Philippon is a member of the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. and a member of VFW Auxiliary Post 296.