Retired music teachers' Vacaville home lost to fire

Sep. 2--A stunning 1949 Riley motorcar charred to the frame. Another British auto, a 1959 Morris Minor, also incinerated. And, lastly and just as ghastly, a 1967 MGB. Also history.

Three classic cars -- and the home -- of John and Patty Phillips burned to the ground by the LNU Lightning Complex Fire along with plenty of memories.

Yet, the retired Vacaville Unified School District music instructors -- John still performs with the Vallejo Symphony Orchestra -- remained grateful with all lives spared, including the family's four cats and a dog.

"Everything can be replaced," John Phillips said by phone late Monday, managing to remain upbeat thanks to "care and help from the community. That's been really encouraging. Every day we're on the phone for hours."

Phillips, 67, was actually at the couple's South Lake Tahoe rental-that's-between-renters on Aug. 18. Patty Phillips, however, had briefly returned to their Vacaville home with "a lot of work to with with some volunteer organizations," her husband said.

At 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 19, the power shut off and the smoke alarm sounded, John said, told later by his wife that she opened the front door "and a blast of hot air came in."

"It was pitch black with no power," he said.

It wasn't long after when an official drove up to the house and yelled "Evacuate immediate!y!"

Patty grabbed what she could, including John's orchestra clarinets, though one instrument was left behind.

Patty restocked the suitcase she had just unpacked and, along with the couple's 38-year-old son, evacuated to the other side of Vacaville where they called John.

"The fire was still a ways away" from their home, he said, "But the wind was blowing like crazy in our direction."

Patty and their son drove back, retrieved John's pick-up truck -- and that was the last they saw of their home still standing.

At 1 p.m., a neighbor called John and said "Sorry, everything is gone .. the house, garage, workshop and two barns."

Grateful that his wife, son, and pets escaped, John was sad the cars were lost, especially the Riley.

His father, who died in 2011, "took it to car shows all over the place," John said. "He was a British car fanatic."

The Morris Minor was also special, John said. It was the car his father drove every day from Napa to his job on Mare Island making gears for submarines.

Also lost -- the family's Yamaho piano, plus a vintage piano Phillips was restoring for a friend.

Fortunately, John said, the owner "is very understanding."

Also turned to ashes were slide carousels and irreplaceable wedding and honeymoon photos and family paintings.

"Tough to lose," John said.

The Phillips have yet returned to their property, though they tried once but were turned away. They did, however, see some of what's left of the property and a car that's a metal shell in a photograph by a Bay Area publication.

"It was devastating. It was emotional. All the memories," John said.

Though John has siblings in Ukiah, Los Angeles and Rhode Island, he inherited their father's car because he had the room.

One of his brothers saw the photo online and said of the destroyed Riley: "The car always basked in glory ... and it went out in glory."

When the couple returns to their property -- presumably some time this week -- "there will be sadness and probably some tears," John said. "But we'll have a positive attitude and hope that we can rebuild."

Word of the Phillips' tragic news traveled quickly 6,786 miles away to New Zealand, where Vallejo Symphony conductor Marc Taddei lives and conducts the Symphony Wellington.

"My heart goes out to John and Patty. I can't imagine the grief, loss and despair they must be feeling at the moment," Taddei said. "That this disaster come during a pandemic that has adversely affected us all -- and in particular the performing arts -- makes what has happen all the more cruel."

Taddei said it "would be extraordinary" if the public contributed to the GoFundMe page "and help them rebuild their lives."

There were times Phillips worried about fire potential since he relocated from the Vacaville home he moved to in 1985 to "our dream home" in 2008.

"I definitely worked very hard in keeping the brush trimmed and lower branches of these beautiful, towering oak trees trimmed," he said.

Phillips said much of his time now is working with county agencies and insurance people.

"Fortunately, I'm retired so I can navigate this more easily," he said.

Admittedly, it's all mind-numbing, Phillips said, believing the devastation "is equally" difficult for he and his wife.

"There's a lot of memories there," he said. "I think it would be more devastating if we didn't have great neighbors who have been really supportive."

Phillips said he and his wife haven't decided if they will rebuild their home on the property.

"We're looking at our options," he said.

Yes, he said, the cars were insured.

"A friend owns a Riley in Grass Valley," said John. "Maybe he'll consider selling it."

With a goal of $35,000, the GoFundMe campaign surpassed $38,000 earlier this week. To contribute, go to gofundme.com/f/patty-and-john-phillips

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