He was always looking for a laugh and had the greatest sense of humor and quick wit, “king of the one liners” as someone once said. To hear him tell a story was a thrill.
Tom loved the outdoors – fishing, downhill skiing, camping, hiking and walking through the woods. He had a magical childhood in Dublin, Ohio endlessly exploring the banks of his beloved Scioto River collecting rocks, arrowheads and fossils. He was a proud Eagle Scout.
After high school he attended Union College, Schenectady, NY, for one year and then transferred to Ohio State University where he joined Kappa Sigma, met his future wife Marsha in C deck of the “shoe” and graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering, now called Systems Engineering. He accepted a position with Procter & Gamble, then Charmin, and after three years returned to central Ohio to attend the OSU Moritz College of Law. Instead of clerking after his first year, he purchased a 1959 Ford half-ton pickup truck with an incomplete homemade camper sitting in the truck bed. He made the camper very livable while he and Marsha happily traveled the perimeter of the United States. After graduating law school, he chose to lobby for various trade associations and ultimately received an appointment to the Ohio EBR, now called the Environmental Review Appeals Commission.
Never caring about material possessions, Tom retired early and was determined to spend winters away from Ohio – skiing out west or fishing in the Florida Keys, both places providing abundant sunshine. He could fix anything but a car. He loved working with his hands and creating beautiful spaces for his home. He didn’t miss an opportunity to learn, had lots of curiosity and questioned everything. Marsha considered him her personal “Google.” A highlight of his life was 50 plus years as a member of the Hayden Falls Gun Club – great guys, wonderful memories.
Tom had a kind heart, fierce mind, brave spirit and moral courage. He was authentic.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Phillips and Norma Phillips, his sister Sylvia Huntington, half-brothers and sisters Clyde Phillips Jr., Frank Phillips, Mary Schaffran, Lois Ortman, sister-in-law June Burrier, and brothers-in-law Bill Anderson, Scotty Murray, and Harry Stewart.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Marsha, sister-in-law Barbara Murray, former brothers-in-law Paul Burrier and Pete Huntington, niece Beth Spurling, nephews Brian Burrier, Tom Huntington, Ted Huntington, David Burrier, Stewart Anderson, and several great-nieces and nephews.
With gratitude, Tom’s family thanks the staff of OhioHealth Hospice and special caregiver Teresa for their compassionate care.
There will be a celebration of life at a later time. Arrangements entrusted to Schoedinger Dublin.
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