Rooted in Science, Grown in Love: The Legacy of Dr. Felix “Phil” Gzemski

In the bustling coal town of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, where soot once settled on windowsills and futures often seemed prewritten in the mines, a young boy named Felix Gzemski—known to all who truly knew him as “Phil”—planted the first seeds of a legacy that would blossom far beyond his humble beginnings.
Born on February 28, 1910, 1910, Phil was the eldest son in a Polish-American family that knew hardship intimately. His mother died in childbirth along with a younger sister, and his father, determined to spare his sons the fate of the mines, made a bold decision: he would send Phil to college. That single act of faith would alter the trajectory of generations.

Phil earned his bachelor’s and ultimately a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania and went on to a distinguished career as a biochemist at Atlantic Richfield Company, paving the way for his brothers to get jobs there, too. But his true legacy wasn’t just in the lab—it was in the lives he touched, the family he uplifted, and the quiet generosity that defined his spirit.

“He put his family and the lives of their descendants on a powerful, life-changing trajectory by his one action of going to college,” says his great-niece, Dr. Lori Bruch. “I truly believe my life is what it is today because of Uncle Phil.”

Phil and his wife Helen never had children of their own. But their love extended to four Weimaraners and to the people around them they nurtured in quieter ways. Their home in Glen Mills, nestled on four acres and shaded by 50 species of trees Phil planted himself, became a sanctuary of learning and love for the women in his life. Phil was especially close to his elder sister Anna, her daughter Norma and his great-niece Lori – and eventually her daughter, Kristin. Summers spent with Uncle Phil were magical for Lori. Together, they pressed leaves, learned Latin names for trees, and harvested vegetables from his garden – many of which made their way to a group of local nuns.

Phil loved his vegetable garden, believed in nourishing the body and being active. As a researcher at heart, his inquisitive spirit about the inner workings of the body and love for nature went hand in hand. “If something was wrong with you, you went to Uncle Phil,” remembers Lori. “He’d suggest the diet for your condition, research the best experts. In another life, he might have been a physician.”

That passion for the human body and for biomedical science is likely what drew Phil to support the work of The Wistar Institute. Though he passed away in 1994 at the age of 84 following a prolonged, two-decade battle with prostate cancer, his support for Wistar lives on in perpetuity. Phil established his first Endowed Fund for prostate cancer research at Wistar through a gift in his will totaling almost $100,000. In 2025, Phil’s generosity continued to extend beyond his lifetime with a distribution to Wistar of more than $280,000 from a charitable remainder trust that Phil established prior to his passing. A new Endowed Fund created with these proceeds – The Felix C. and Helen Gzemski Fund – will generate income each year specifically for basic biomedical research. The family also recently informed Wistar of an additional trust, established by Phil, which will benefit the institute in years to come.

Phil’s generosity was never loud. He shared his garden’s bounty and lived frugally—perhaps never fully realizing the wealth he had accumulated. He was spiritual, kind-hearted, and deeply devoted to his family. His impact on individuals and institutions in his life was, and will continue to be, profound.

Today, Lori—recently retired after a 30-year career in education, a path she credits to Phil’s influence— along with the Gzemski and Kukla nieces and nephews carry carries forward his legacy in the stories she shares of her Uncle Phil, the man who charted a new path for his sister and her descendants.

Dr. Felix “Phil” Gzemski may have started out seemingly destined to a life underground, but he lived as a man of light—curious, compassionate, and committed to lifting others. Through his support of Wistar, his spirit continues to ignite discovery, healing, and hope.

Learn more about how you can support The Wistar Institute through and Endowed Fund.