James Phillip Bivona

Phillip Bivona James Phillip “Phil” Bivona, 64, passed away Thursday, May 17th at Medical Center of Plano after a brief illness. Services will be held Saturday, May 19th, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel Funeral Home at 6101 Bosque Blvd. Waco, Texas 76710 at 9:30 a.m. with services led by Father Richard Petranek. The family will receive visitors Friday night at the funeral home from 6 until 8 p.m. A memorial service will be held in Dallas on Monday 3:30 PM at Le Meriden Hotel downtown location in the Sunset Room. Phil was born on November 21, 1936 in Waco, and was the son of James Victor Bivona and Irma McGowan Bivona. He was a 1955 graduate of Waco High and a 1959 graduate of Baylor University. He was a certified public accountant with Ernst and Young in Dallas. Earlier in his career he was also a partner at Arthur Andersen & Company and KPMG Peat Marwick. He also spent two years on the faculty of Baylor University, earning a “favorite professor” award his first semester there. Phil was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend to many. He was an avid World War II model airplane collector. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him. He touched the hearts and lives of many people. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife, Christel Bivona of Dallas, stepson T.J. Jaworsky and wife Holli of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and children by his first wife Barbra Bivona of Waco: son, Brian Bivona and wife Melissa of Waco, daughter Lisa Hawkins and husband Brad of Denton, daughter Patti Bivona of Dallas, daughter Melaine Illich and husband Paul of Waco, daughter Amy Martinez-Negrete and husband Gonzalo of Waco, brother Hugh Bivona of Dallas, seven grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the Ernst and Young Tax Compliance Friendship House Fund c/o Carole Giddens at 2121 San Jacinto, Suite 1500, Dallas, Texas, 75201. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY