Paul Alexander Philbin, loving husband “Paul” to Sandy, “Dear old Dad” to Alexis and Dax, and “Paco” to Brenna, Liam, Braden, Hudson and Caelan, went to be with the Lord peacefully while sleeping on Friday, October 28, 2022 at the age of 81.
Paul was the second of three boys born to William A. Philbin (“Bill”) and Josephine Rita Philbin (“Jo”) in New York, NY and raised in the Bronx, where he attended St. Anthony’s Catholic School and dutifully served as altar boy. He graduated in 1959 from Fordham Preparatory School as an All-City basketball player and earned a scholarship playing basketball to the University of Texas at Austin. He will forever be a Longhorn and we know the Eyes of Texas are shining down upon him.
Paul met his beautiful wife, Sandra, while completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas and soon after graduation in 1963 he and Sandy were married. Paul went on to graduate from the University of Texas Law School which laid the foundation for his seminal work and over 5 decades of service in the world of Municipal Utility Districts known as MUDs. In the year following his graduation from Law School in 1966, Paul served in the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps or JAG and often talked proudly of that time during Boot Camp and working at Fort Knox near all the gold bullion reserves.
After his discharge from the JAG he began working at the Texas Water Quality Board in Austin, the predecessor agency to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, facilitating rulemaking and permitting for the expansive growth in development in the state. He made many a life time friend while working in Austin and soon realized Houston was where it was at with respect to building a law practice. He moved to Houston in 1971 with Sandy and his two young children to raise a family and begin working at the law firm of Smith, Strock & Rowe.
In 1977 Paul realized his dream by opening up his own law practice where for the next 40 + years he forged bonds with so many in the Houston area MUD world including those individuals living in the MUD communities. He was a true relationship builder and knew the value in both being able to tell a good joke and laugh with his clients as well as the hard work needed to accomplish success. He took very seriously his role in helping his clients’ neighborhoods grow and become financially solvent, not to mention keeping the clean water running and toilets flushing!
Paul was an avid reader and always challenging Alexis and Dax to define a randomly chosen word of the day. When he wasn’t reviewing the latest legislative updates, he enjoyed athletic competition despite suffering several knee injuries. He also enjoyed watching his favorite sports teams the Longhorns, the Oilers (back in the day), Texans, Rockets and Astros and taking his family to whatever ballfield, stadium or court were hosting his teams! He also enjoyed watching his children compete be it on the volleyball court, basketball or tennis court. He spent many a lunch hour at the Post Oak YMCA for a good game of racquet ball or hand ball and served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA. Paul believed very much in giving back to those in need and was always willing to assist his friends and family with whatever legal matters arose.
Paul eventually began taking up hobbies that didn’t require as much wear and tear on his knee like golf, gardening and cooking. He taught Sandy to play golf and the rest is history. They both spent many hours together on the course challenging each other to prepare a home cooked meal. Let’s just say that Sandy was down a few hundred dinners at last count. Paul’s charitable side was also evident in the numerous charity golf tournaments in which he played. He believed very much in the power of education and faithfully participated many years in the Steer Auction at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo with proceeds going toward education, such as the School for the Deaf and other organizations.
Paul also loved spending time outdoors. There wasn’t a body of water that Paul didn’t love and respect and enjoyed taking his family on vacations close to the ocean or the sea. He loved exposing his family to different cultures through travel and somehow could pick up the language in whatever locale he was.
Paul was an amazing cook, a knack for which really blossomed later in his life after building his law practice when he found a bit more time to experiment with his culinary gifts. He for years would single handedly whip up grand holiday meals producing the juiciest of turkeys including all the trimmings and never forgetting those rutabagas and pearled onions from his New York days. He would spend several days before the big holiday shopping, prepping and making some of the meanest pies you ever had and entirely from scratch. It was truly a sight to behold and a labor of love for him.
We cannot forget the luck of the Irish that he possessed with the road always seeming to rise up to meet him and the wind at his back, especially when enjoying time at the Casino. He and Sandy were able to take many trips to the “Casino” to enjoy fine dinners and entertainment on the slot machines be it in Louisiana, New Mexico, California or Washington State. Paul finally gave up “pulling the ox cart” in 2020 when he hung up his hat from full time lawyering. He was so deeply touched and honored to have been presented an achievement award in 2021 in Kings Manor MUD, which he represented since 1993, that included naming of the Paul A. Philbin Water Plant Building in his honor and for his tireless dedication and service to the residents of Kings Manor.
Paul will be truly missed and is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sandra; his daughter, Alexis Philbin Walker and husband, Bill; his son, Dax William Philbin and wife Mimi. He also leaves behind his brother Peter Philbin and wife Ulla; his brother William “Bill” Philbin, Jr.; his sisters-in-law Shelley Lykke and Phoebe McVay; and his grandchildren, Brenna Walker, Liam Walker, Braden Walker, Hudson Philbin and Caelan Philbin along with numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A Visitation will be held Monday, November 21, 2022 from five to eight o’clock in the evening at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77079. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, November 22, 2022 in the Texas Liberty Mausoleum at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home at eleven o’clock in the morning.
In lieu of flowers, you may make a gift in Paul’s memory to Tunnel to Towers https://t2t.org/, Disabled American Veterans https://www.dav.org/, the Wounded Warrior Project https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org or to the charity of your choice.
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